Patents by Inventor Ippei KURODA
Ippei KURODA 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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Publication number: 20240109598Abstract: A vehicle body structure includes a dashboard extending in a vehicle width direction and defining a cabin and a power compartment in front of the cabin; a power unit arranged in the power compartment; a floor panel extending rearward in the cabin from the dashboard; and a dash crossmember projected forward from the dashboard and extending in the vehicle width direction. The dash crossmember has a first portion at least partially overlapping the power unit in a front view; and a second portion extending outward in the vehicle width direction from the first portion. A compressive strength of the first portion is lower than a compressive strength of the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2020Publication date: April 4, 2024Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kazuki YAMAUCHI, Ippei KURODA, Akiko KAWAMOTO
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Publication number: 20230399054Abstract: A side sill that is disposed in a lower part and on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle and has a side sill inner and a side sill outer which collaborate with each other to form a closed cross section extending in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; a wheel that is located ahead of the side sill outer; an outer-side reinforcement member that has a shape extending along a front face part and a side face part in a front end part of the side sill outer and is joined to the front end part from inside the closed cross section; and an inner-side reinforcement member that diagonally couples a front face part and a side face part in a front end part of the side sill inner to each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: December 14, 2023Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Ippei KURODA, Masaya NISHIMOTO, Shota NAKAYAMA
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Publication number: 20230373566Abstract: A side sill in a lower part and on an outer side in a vehicle width direction of a vehicle and forms, in its inner part, a closed cross section that extends in a front-rear direction of the vehicle; the side sill includes a side sill outer that has a front end and a main body located behind the front end, an outer-side reinforcement member that has a shape extending along a front face part and a side face part of the front end of the side sill outer is joined to the front end from inside or outside the closed cross section, a front end of the main body is opposed to a rear end of a side face part of the outer-side reinforcement member in the front-rear direction, and the main body has a protrusion part that protrudes to the inner side of the closed cross section.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 23, 2023Publication date: November 23, 2023Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Ippei KURODA, Masaya NISHIMOTO
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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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Publication number: 20220379964Abstract: A front side frame provided on each of right and left sides of the vehicle and extending in a vehicle longitudinal direction; and a bumper beam provided on a vehicle front side of each of the front side frames and having an inclined section in each end portion in a vehicle width direction, the bumper beam extending outward in the vehicle width direction and being inclined rearward in. A crash can is provided in a front end portion of each of the front side frames, extends forward, and is inclined outward in the vehicle width direction. A front end portion of each of the crash cans is coupled to the respective inclined section of the bumper beam. On an inner side in the vehicle width direction of each of the crash cans, a vulnerable portion is provided, and has low strength against a collision load input to the bumper beam.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2022Publication date: December 1, 2022Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Kuniyoshi TASHIRO, Ippei KURODA, Hiroto KIDO, Ayaka FUKUDA
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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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Publication number: 20220348267Abstract: A lower vehicle-body structure of a vehicle may include: a floor panel; a raised wall portion; a cross member that is disposed on an upper face of the floor panel and extends in the vehicle width direction; a frame member including: an inclined portion that is disposed so as to form a closed cross-section with the floor panel on a vehicle-width-direction outer side of the raised wall portion on the upper face of the floor panel and a connector connected to the cross member at a rear end of the inclined portion; and a coupler that is disposed on the floor panel at a place on a vehicle front side of the connection portion and couples the inclined portion and the raised wall portion to each other in the vehicle width direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 13, 2022Publication date: November 3, 2022Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Keisuke EBISUMOTO, Hirotaka NATSUME, Ippei KURODA, Shunsuke HIRAI
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Publication number: 20220340205Abstract: A vehicle front body structure includes a front side frame extending forward from a dashboard separating a cabin and an engine compartment, an apron reinforcement extending in a front-rear direction, a suspension housing, a braking force booster between this suspension housing and the dashboard, and a coupling member coupled to the front side frame and the apron reinforcement. The coupling member is formed of a material with higher tensile strength than the suspension housing. The coupling member includes a body section fixed to a rear surface of the suspension housing, and a wall section. bent from a lower end of this body section and extending rearward.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2022Publication date: October 27, 2022Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Akihiro KAWANO, Ippei KURODA
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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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Patent number: 11325654Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure includes a front wheel including a wheel; and a side sill that extends in a front-rear direction on a rear side of the front wheel and has side sill inner and outer portions positioned on vehicle-width-direction inner and outer sides, respectively. Vehicle-width-direction end portions of the inner and outer portions are joined at a joined portion formed by the vehicle-width-direction end portions abutting against each other. The inner portion has a higher buckling strength in the front-rear direction than the outer portion. The joined portion has a second joined portion extending inclined to the vehicle-width-direction outer side toward a rear side, and a first joined portion bent from the second joined portion, extending to a front side, and positioned on a front-end portion of the side sill closer to the vehicle-width-direction inner side than a center line of the wheel in the vehicle width direction.Type: GrantFiled: August 25, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke Ebisumoto, Takeshi Nakamura, Hirotaka Natsume, Yuki Kataoka, Manabu Tatsuda, Ippei Kuroda, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 11292525Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure for appropriately dispersing a collision load includes a floor panel; a side sill; a floor frame extending in a front-rear direction on a vehicle-width-direction inner side of the side sill; and a first cross member connecting the side sill and the floor frame to each other in the vehicle width direction. The side sill has a raised wall and an upper wall portion positioned on the vehicle-width-direction inner side in a cross-section orthogonally intersecting with the front-rear direction and extending in an up-down direction, a corner extending in the front-rear direction is formed between the raised wall and the upper wall portion, and a first joint member and a corner reinforcement member that reinforce the raised wall and the corner are provided at a position to which the first cross member is connected in the front-rear direction on an inner side of the side sill.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2020Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke Ebisumoto, Tadashi Yamazaki, Manabu Tatsuda, Ippei Kuroda
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Patent number: 11260916Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure includes a floor panel; a side sill; a floor frame extending in a front-rear direction on a vehicle-width-direction inner side of the side sill; a first cross member connecting a front portion of the side sill to the floor frame in a vehicle width direction; and a second cross member connecting the side sill and floor frame in the vehicle width direction on a rear side of the first cross member. The floor panel has a quadrilateral closed region surrounded by the side sill, the floor frame, and the cross members, on a periphery of the closed region, and the closed region has a bead linearly extending in a direction intersecting with a virtual line connecting front and rear portions on vehicle-width-direction outer and inner sides, respectively, of the closed region to each other at an angle of 45 degrees or more in plan view.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2020Date of Patent: March 1, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke Ebisumoto, Ippei Kuroda, Syunsuke Mino
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Publication number: 20210061366Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure includes a front wheel including a wheel; and a side sill that extends in a front-rear direction on a rear side of the front wheel and has side sill inner and outer portions positioned on vehicle-width-direction inner and outer sides, respectively. Vehicle-width-direction end portions of the inner and outer portions are joined at a joined portion formed by the vehicle-width-direction end portions abutting against each other. The inner portion has a higher buckling strength in the front-rear direction than the outer portion. The joined portion has a second joined portion extending inclined to the vehicle-width-direction outer side toward a rear side, and a first joined portion bent from the second joined portion, extending to a front side, and positioned on a front-end portion of the side sill closer to the vehicle-width-direction inner side than a center line of the wheel in the vehicle width direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke EBISUMOTO, Takeshi NAKAMURA, Hirotaka NATSUME, Yuki KATAOKA, Manabu TATSUDA, Ippei KURODA, Satoshi NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20210061365Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure includes a floor panel; a side sill; a floor frame extending in a front-rear direction on a vehicle-width-direction inner side of the side sill; a first cross member connecting a front portion of the side sill to the floor frame in a vehicle width direction; and a second cross member connecting the side sill and floor frame in the vehicle width direction on a rear side of the first cross member. The floor panel has a quadrilateral closed region surrounded by the side sill, the floor frame, and the cross members, on a periphery of the closed region, and the closed region has a bead linearly extending in a direction intersecting with a virtual line connecting front and rear portions on vehicle-width-direction outer and inner sides, respectively, of the closed region to each other at an angle of 45 degrees or more in plan view.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke EBISUMOTO, Ippei KURODA, Syunsuke MINO
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Publication number: 20210061370Abstract: A front vehicle-body structure for appropriately dispersing a collision load includes a floor panel; a side sill; a floor frame extending in a front-rear direction on a vehicle-width-direction inner side of the side sill; and a first cross member connecting the side sill and the floor frame to each other in the vehicle width direction. The side sill has a raised wall and an upper wall portion positioned on the vehicle-width-direction inner side in a cross-section orthogonally intersecting with the front-rear direction and extending in an up-down direction, a corner extending in the front-rear direction is formed between the raised wall and the upper wall portion, and a first joint member and a corner reinforcement member that reinforce the raised wall and the corner are provided at a position to which the first cross member is connected in the front-rear direction on an inner side of the side sill.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2020Publication date: March 4, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Keisuke EBISUMOTO, Tadashi YAMAZAKI, Manabu TATSUDA, Ippei KURODA
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Patent number: 10906485Abstract: The crush can 4 is provided therein with the ribs 46 and 47. The front side frame 2 has the inner plate part 24 and the outer plate part 23 in the vehicle width direction. The inner plate part 24 and the outer plate part 23 are provided with recessed linear portions 23a and 24a recessed toward an inner side of the front side frame 2 and extending in the vehicle front and rear direction, respectively. The recessed linear portions 23a and 24a and the ribs 46 and 47 of the crush can 4 are disposed at approximately the same heights, respectively.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2017Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kuniyoshi Tashiro, Ippei Kuroda, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 10906486Abstract: The crush can 4 is provided therein with the ribs 46 and 47 extending in the vehicle front and rear direction. The bumper beam 6 is provided therein with the ribs 66 and 67 extending in the vehicle front and rear direction. The rib 46 of the crush can 4 and the rib 66 of the bumper beam 6 are disposed at approximately the same height, and the rib 47 of the crush can 4 and the rib 67 of the bumper beam 6 are disposed at approximately the same height.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2017Date of Patent: February 2, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kuniyoshi Tashiro, Ippei Kuroda, Satoshi Nakamura
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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