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).

  • Publication number: 20170241482
    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: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2017
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasutomo MABE, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20170130781
    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: January 24, 2017
    Publication date: May 11, 2017
    Inventors: Kenichiro ISHIKURA, Hidekazu AOKI, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 9605716
    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: April 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ishikura, Hidekazu Aoki, Hiromichi Komai
  • Publication number: 20170016484
    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: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Publication date: January 19, 2017
    Inventors: Kenichi SUGIYAMA, Yasutomo MABE, Toshiyuki MASUDA, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20160273592
    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: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi AKITA, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20160223028
    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: April 8, 2016
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventors: Kenichiro ISHIKURA, Hidekazu AOKI, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 9334904
    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: May 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro Ishikura, Hidekazu Aoki, Hiromichi Komai
  • Publication number: 20160084317
    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: August 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasushi AKITA, Hiromichi Komai, Masashi Kubo
  • Publication number: 20160017929
    Abstract: Provided is a low-cost propeller shaft adaptable to multiple variations of input/output shafts. An input shaft 3 and a first constant-velocity joint 4a are connected through a first adapter member 6a. The first adapter member is equipped with: a male spline 42 formed on an outer peripheral surface of a small-diameter shaft section 39 and engaged with a female spline 20 of an inner-race member 11 in the first constant-velocity joint 4a; and a female spline 46 formed on an inner peripheral surface of a large-diameter shaft section 41 and engaged with a male spline 35 of the input shaft 3. As a result, by producing only this first adapter member 6a, it is possible to adapt to an input shaft 3 of a type in which the outer diameter, the length in the axial direction, or the shape of the male spline 35 differs from an existing type.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: HITACHI AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS KYUSHU, LTD.
    Inventors: Kenichi SUGIYAMA, Yasutomo MABE, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Publication number: 20140357383
    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: May 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichiro ISHIKURA, Hidekazu AOKI, Hiromichi KOMAI
  • Patent number: 8864591
    Abstract: A propeller shaft is proposed which comprises an inner cylindrical member that has a center through bore into which a shaft is inserted; an outer cylindrical member disposed around the inner cylindrical member; a torque transmitting unit operatively disposed between the inner and outer cylindrical members; a sleeve member coaxially connected to the center through bore of the inner cylindrical member; a boot unit arranged to hermetically close one open side of an interior of the outer cylindrical member; and a positioning mechanism that effects a relative axial positioning between the shaft and the inner cylindrical member when a splined cylindrical outer wall of the shaft is inserted through the sleeve member into a given position of a splined cylindrical inner wall of the center through bore of the inner cylindrical member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Sugiyama, Takahiro Kuroha, Hiromichi Komai, Yasutomo Mabe, Yasushi Akita
  • Patent number: 8777759
    Abstract: In a universal joint, a cross shaft member includes four shaft parts forming a cross-shape. Each of four bearing cups corresponding respectively to the shaft parts has a hollow-cylindrical shape having a bottom and is rotatably mounted to the corresponding shaft part through a roller disposed between an inner peripheral surface of the each bearing cup and an outer peripheral surface of the corresponding shaft part. Each bearing cup includes an inner bottom surface in sliding contact with a distal end surface of the corresponding shaft part, wherein the sliding contact is in an annular region encompassing a central axis of the corresponding shaft part. The distal end surface of each shaft part is formed with an annular groove encompassing the central axis of the first shaft part for storing oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keigo Yoshida, Hideaki Aoki, Hiromichi Komai, Shinichi Kondo, Yoshimichi Takano
  • Patent number: 8628250
    Abstract: A support device of a propeller shaft comprises an annular bracket fixed to a floor member of a vehicle body; an annular elastic member disposed in the annular bracket; an annular supporting structure disposed in the annular elastic member and rotatably supporting a cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft through a ball bearing unit; and an annular seal member intimately disposed in an annular space defined between the annular supporting structure and the cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft. One of outer and inner cylindrical surfaces of the annular seal member is in slidable contact with either one of an inner cylindrical surface of the annular supporting structure and an outer cylindrical surface of the cylindrical given portion of the propeller shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: Hitchi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masanori Oinuma, Hidekazu Aoki, Takahiro Kuroha, Takayuki Yokota, Hiromichi Komai, Yoshimichi Takano
  • Publication number: 20130252748
    Abstract: A propeller shaft is proposed which comprises an inner cylindrical member that has a center through bore into which a shaft is inserted; an outer cylindrical member disposed around the inner cylindrical member; a torque transmitting unit operatively disposed between the inner and outer cylindrical members; a sleeve member coaxially connected to the center through bore of the inner cylindrical member; a boot unit arranged to hermetically close one open side of an interior of the outer cylindrical member; and a positioning mechanism that effects a relative axial positioning between the shaft and the inner cylindrical member when a splined cylindrical outer wall of the shaft is inserted through the sleeve member into a given position of a splined cylindrical inner wall of the center through bore of the inner cylindrical member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: Hitachi Automotive Systems Kyushu, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi SUGIYAMA, Takahiro KUROHA, Hiromichi KOMAI, Yasutomo MABE, Yasushi AKITA
  • Publication number: 20130053154
    Abstract: In a universal joint, a cross shaft member includes four shaft parts forming a cross-shape. Each of four bearing cups corresponding respectively to the shaft parts has a hollow-cylindrical shape having a bottom and is rotatably mounted to the corresponding shaft part through a roller disposed between an inner peripheral surface of the each bearing cup and an outer peripheral surface of the corresponding shaft part. Each bearing cup includes an inner bottom surface in sliding contact with a distal end surface of the corresponding shaft part, wherein the sliding contact is in an annular region encompassing a central axis of the corresponding shaft part. The distal end surface of each shaft part is formed with an annular groove encompassing the central axis of the first shaft part for storing oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 18, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Inventors: Keigo YOSHIDA, Hideaki Aoki, Hiromichi Komai, Shinichi Kondo, Yoshimichi Takano
  • Patent number: 8142294
    Abstract: A power transmitting shaft includes a coupling member, a cylindrical intermediate member, a tube member and an increased diameter portion. The coupling member connects to a counterpart. The cylindrical intermediate member is on a side of one end of the coupling member and has a mechanical strength larger than that of the coupling member. The tube member has one end portion connected to either one of an inner circumferential portion of the intermediate member and an outer circumferential portion of the intermediate member. The increased diameter portion is on one end portion of the intermediate member which is opposed to the one end of the coupling member in an axial direction of the power transmitting shaft. The increased diameter portion is connected with the one end of the coupling member in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasushi Akita, Yoshimichi Takano, Noriyuki Onihashi, Hiromichi Komai
  • Patent number: 8019267
    Abstract: A disclosed fixing device fixes resin particles onto a medium by applying a fixer including a softening agent onto the resin particles resting on the medium. The softening agent softens the resin particles by dissolving or causing swelling of at least part of resin included in the resin particles. A foamed fixer is generated from the fixer. The foamed fixer whose layer thickness is controlled is applied onto the resin particles resting on the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd
    Inventors: Yasuo Katano, Tsuneo Kurotori, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Hiromichi Komai
  • Patent number: 7989133
    Abstract: The present invention provides a fixing liquid for fixing microparticles containing a resin to a medium, a fixing device using this fixing liquid, and an image forming apparatus comprising this fixing device. The fixing liquid of the present invention is a fixing liquid for fixing resin microparticles to a medium, and is a water-in-oil type fixing liquid comprising a continuous oil phase at least one portion of which comprises a softener for softening the resin microparticles by dissolving or swelling at least one portion of the resin microparticles, and an aqueous phase, as a separate phase, dispersed in the oil phase. As a result, the fixing liquid combines preservability during storage and drying property on a medium after application of the fixing liquid, is free of residual oily feel during application, and affords better fixing responsiveness than conventional fixing liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Katano, Tsuneo Kurotori, Tomoyasu Hirasawa, Hiromichi Komai, Takuma Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7794835
    Abstract: A fixing solution for fixing toner to a recording medium, includes aliphatic ester held by solvent in a soluble manner, and having solubility or swelling property with respect to resin included in the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Katano, Tsuneo Kurotori, Hiromichi Komai, Hidenori Tomono
  • Patent number: 7713622
    Abstract: A fixing solution for fixing toner to a recording medium, includes aliphatic ester held by solvent in a soluble manner, and having solubility or swelling property with respect to resin included in the toner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuo Katano, Tsuneo Kurotori, Hiromichi Komai, Hidenori Tomono