Patents by Inventor Junichi Okubo

Junichi Okubo 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: 20190224741
    Abstract: Provided is a production method, including a first preforming process, a second preforming process, a final preforming process, and a finish forging process. In the first preforming process, regions to be a pin and a journal are pressed respectively from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the billet, thus reducing cross sectional areas of each region and forming a plurality of flat parts. In the second preforming process, the first preform is pressed in the pressing direction, which is a direction perpendicular to decentering direction of a region to be a second pin. In the final preforming process, the second preform is pressed from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the second preform, and further a region to be a counterweight and a region to be a crank arm integrally including a counterweight are pressed in the axial direction of the second preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Inventors: Junichi OKUBO, Kenji TAMURA, Kunihiro YOSHIDA, Sam Soo HWANG, Ryusuke NAKANO, Masao HORI
  • Publication number: 20190217372
    Abstract: Provided is a production method, including a first preforming process, a second preforming process, a final preforming process, and a finish forging process. In the first preforming process, regions to be a pin and a journal are pressed respectively from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the billet, thus reducing cross sectional areas of each region and forming a plurality of flat parts. In the second preforming process, the first preform is pressed in the pressing direction, which is a width direction of the flat parts. In the final preforming process, the second preform is pressed from a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the second preform, and further a region to be a counterweight and a region to be a crank arm integrally including a counterweight are pressed in the axial direction of the second preform.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2017
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Junichi OKUBO, Kenji TAMURA, Kunihiro YOSHIDA, Sam Soo HWANG, Ryusuke NAKANO, Masao HORI
  • Patent number: 10350671
    Abstract: A method for producing a forged crankshaft includes: a preforming step of forming a preformed blank with no flash, the preformed blank including a shape of the crankshaft, wherein the crank arm have excess projecting portions at an outer peripheries of side portions of the crank arm near the crank pin; a die forging step of forming a forged blank with flash by pressing the preformed blank with a pair of first dies; and a trimming step of removing the flash from the forged blank. In the die forging step, while a second die is abutted against a journal-side surface of the crank arm and holds the surface, the excess projecting portions of the crank arm are deformed by the first dies so as to increase the side portions of the crank arm in thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tamura, Junichi Okubo, Koichiro Ishihara, Ken Yoshino, Kunihiro Yabuno, Hiroyuki Kurokawa, Tomohisa Yamashita, Sho Takamoto
  • Patent number: 10124398
    Abstract: A method for producing a forged crankshaft includes a die forging step, a trimming step, and an excess projecting portion bending step. The die forging step forms a finish forged blank with flash, the finish forged blank including a shape of the crankshaft, in which crank arms have excess projecting portions at outer peripheries of side portions thereof near a crank pin, the excess projecting portions projecting from the outer peripheries. The trimming step removes the flash from the finish forged blank formed in the die forging step. The excess projecting portion bending step bends the excess projecting portions of the crank arms toward a journal-side surface of the crank arm by pressing the crankshaft using a pair of first dies, the crankshaft being obtained by removing the flash in the trimming step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tamura, Junichi Okubo, Koichiro Ishihara, Ken Yoshino, Kunihiro Yabuno, Hiroyuki Kurokawa, Tomohisa Yamashita, Sho Takamoto
  • Patent number: 10086425
    Abstract: A method for producing a forged crankshaft includes a die forging step, a trimming step, and an excess projecting portion crushing step. The die forging step forms a finish forged blank with flash, the finish forged blank including a shape of the crankshaft, in which crank arms have excess projecting portions at outer peripheries of side portions thereof near a crank pin, the excess projecting portions projecting from the outer peripheries. The trimming step removes the flash from the finish forged blank formed in the die forging step. The excess projecting portion crushing step crushes the excess projecting portions of the crank arms by pressing the crankshaft using a pair of first dies, the crankshaft being obtained by removing the flash in the trimming step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tamura, Junichi Okubo, Koichiro Ishihara, Ken Yoshino, Kunihiro Yabuno, Hiroyuki Kurokawa, Tomohisa Yamashita, Sho Takamoto
  • Patent number: 10058912
    Abstract: A method for producing a forged crankshaft includes a die forging step, a trimming step, and an excess projecting portion bending step. The die forging step forms a finish forged blank with flash, the finish forged blank including a shape of the crankshaft, in which crank arms have excess projecting portions at outer peripheries of side portions thereof near a crank pin, the excess projecting portions projecting from the outer peripheries. The trimming step removes the flash from the finish forged blank formed in the die forging step. The excess projecting portion bending step bends the excess projecting portions of the crank arms toward a journal-side surface of the crank arm by inserting a first die having a U-shape from a direction of eccentricity of the crank pin to the crankshaft obtained by removing the flash in the trimming step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kenji Tamura, Junichi Okubo, Koichiro Ishihara, Ken Yoshino, Kunihiro Yabuno, Hiroyuki Kurokawa, Tomohisa Yamashita, Sho Takamoto
  • Patent number: 10029297
    Abstract: In a forming apparatus, movable journal dies and stationary journal dies retain rough journal portions of a preform blank therebetween, and reference crank pin die and movable crank pin dies contact rough crank pin portions thereof, and in this state, the movable journal dies and the movable crank pin dies are moved axially toward the reference crank pin die and the reference crank pin die and the movable crank pin dies are moved in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction. With this, weighted rough arm portions are axially compressed to reduce their thickness to that of weighted arms of a forged crankshaft, and the rough crank pin portions are pressed in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction to increase an amount of eccentricity to that of the crank pins of the forged crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Okubo, Kenji Tamura, Kunihiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10005121
    Abstract: In a forming apparatus, stationary journal dies (10U, 10B) and movable journal dies (11U, 11B) each hold and retain rough journal portions (Ja) of a preform blank (4) therebetween, and crank pin dies (12) contacts rough crank pin portions (Pa) thereof, and in this state, the movable journal dies (11U, 11B) are moved axially toward the stationary journal dies (10U, 10B) and the crank pin dies (12) are moved in the same axial direction and in an eccentric direction. With this, weighted rough arm portions (Aa) are axially compressed to reduce their thickness to that of weighted arms of a forged crankshaft, and the rough crank pin portions (Pa) are pressed in the eccentric direction to increase the amount of eccentricity to that of the crank pins of the forged crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Okubo, Kenji Tamura, Kunihiro Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10005122
    Abstract: In a forming apparatus, movable journal dies and stationary journal dies hold and retain rough journal portions of a preform blank therebetween, and movable crank pin dies contact rough crank pin portions thereof, and in this state, the movable journal dies and the movable crank pin dies are moved axially toward the stationary journal dies and the movable crank pin dies are moved in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction. With this, rough arm portions are axially compressed to reduce their thickness to that of arms of a forged crankshaft, and the rough crank pin portions are pressed in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction to increase an amount of eccentricity to that of the crank pins of the forged crankshaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Okubo, Kenji Tamura, Kunihiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20180169742
    Abstract: A forged crankshaft manufacturing apparatus processes a forged blank with no flash. The forged blank includes at least one rough crank arm having an excess portion protruding from an outer periphery of a side portion thereof. The manufacturing apparatus includes a first die and a second die paired with each other, a retaining device, and a moving device. The first die and the second die bend or crash the excess portion. The retaining device retains at least one of the rough journals or at least one of the rough pins such that a rough pin decentering direction is perpendicular to a reducing direction in which the first die and the second die apply force for reduction. The moving device supports the retaining device such that the retaining device is movable in the reducing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2016
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Inventors: Tomohisa YAMASHITA, Kunihiro YABUNO, Ken YOSHINO, Sho TAKAMOTO, Hiroyuki KUROKAWA, Kenji TAMURA, Junichi OKUBO, Kiyoshi NAKAYAMA, Toru HORIUCHI
  • Publication number: 20180147621
    Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a forged crankshaft includes a pair of upper and lower dies and a first tool. The pair of dies deforms first excess portions and thereby thickens both side portions of a rough crank arm, in a region near a rough pin adjacent thereto. The first tool is fitted in an open space made in the pair of dies, and is capable of coming into contact with a rough-journal-facing surface of the rough crank arm, except the side portions in the region near the adjacent rough pin. The first pair of dies and the first tool have first guides to guide the first tool from a retracting position to a contacting position. The first guides include a first guide disposed on at least one of an upper surface and a lower surface of the first tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Tomohisa YAMASHITA, Sho TAKAMOTO, Hiroyuki KUROKAWA, Kunihiro YABUNO, Ken YOSHINO, Kenji TAMURA, Junichi OKUBO
  • Publication number: 20180111185
    Abstract: The disclosed production method includes a rough forging step of performing die forging to obtain a rough forged blank with flash having a crankshaft shape, and a finish forging step of applying die forging by use of a first pair of dies to the rough forged blank to obtain a finish forged blank with flash. In the rough forged blank, at least one of the rough crank arms have, in a region near an adjacent rough pin, a first excess portion protruding from an outer periphery of a side portion of the rough crank arm. During the die forging in the finish forging step, the first excess portion is deformed by the first pair of dies to bulge toward an adjacent rough journal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: April 26, 2018
    Inventors: Sho TAKAMOTO, Kenji TAMURA, Tomohisa YAMASHITA, Kunihiro YABUNO, Ken YOSHINO, Hiroyuki KUROKAWA, Junichi OKUBO, Koichiro ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 9937550
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing a die forged crankshaft to be mounted in a two or more cylinder reciprocating apparatus includes: an upsetting step that includes upsetting a billet having a constant cross-sectional area along an entire length thereof to form a blank having an enlarged cross-sectional area at a region between a portion to be formed into a leading crank arm of the crankshaft and a portion to be formed into a trailing crank arm thereof; a die forging step that includes die forging the blank formed in the upsetting step to form a forged blank having a shape of the crankshaft with a flash; and a trimming step that includes trimming the flash from the forged blank formed in the die forging step. This makes it possible to improve the material utilization and to use a billet having a cross-sectional size as small as possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomihiko Fukuyasu, Nobutaka Tanimoto, Junichi Okubo, Kunihiro Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20180071813
    Abstract: A forged crankshaft production method includes a first preforming step, a second preforming step, and a final preforming step. The first pair of dies includes web processing parts to come into contact with portions to be formed into arms and portions to be formed into weights integrated with the arms. Each of the web processing parts includes an arm processing part and a weight processing part. The arm processing part and the weight processing part form a recessed portion, and the width of the open side of the weight processing part becomes greater with increasing distance from the bottom of the recessed portion. Accordingly, in the blank, volume can be distributed between a portion to be formed into an arm and a portion to be formed into a weight integrated with the arm, and the material yield rate can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Junichi OKUBO, Kenji TAMURA, Kunihiro YOSHIDA, Samsoo HWANG, Ryusuke NAKANO, Masao HORI
  • Publication number: 20180071814
    Abstract: A forged crankshaft production method includes a first preforming step, a second preforming step, and a final preforming step. In the first preforming step, sectional areas of portions to be formed into pins and sectional areas of portions to be formed into journals are decreased, whereby flat portions are formed, and the portion to be formed into the pin located at a second position is decentered. In the second preforming step, a portion to be formed into the pin located at a first position is decentered, and a portion to be formed into the pin located at a third position is decentered to a side opposite to the portion to be formed into the pin located at the first position. In a blank obtained thereby, portions to be formed into pins have been reduced and decentered, and the material yield rate can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2016
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Junichi OKUBO, Kenji TAMURA, Kunihiro YOSHIDA, Samsoo HWANG, Ryusuke NAKANO, Masao HORI
  • Publication number: 20180056372
    Abstract: The disclosed production method includes a die forging step of obtaining a forged blank with flash having a crankshaft shape, and a trimming step of removing the flash from the forged blank while nipping the forged blank with a pair of holding dies. In the forged blank, at least one of the rough crank arms have, in a region near an adjacent rough pin, a first excess portion protruding from an outer periphery of a side portion of the rough crank arm. When the forged blank is nipped with the pair of holding dies, the first excess portion is deformed by the pair of holding dies to bulge toward an adjacent rough journal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2016
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Inventors: Sho TAKAMOTO, Kenji TAMURA, Tomohisa YAMASHITA, Kunihiro YABUNO, Ken YOSHINO, Hiroyuki KUROKAWA, Junichi OKUBO, Koichiro ISHIHARA
  • Patent number: 9731341
    Abstract: A forged crankshaft (1) includes a carbon steel containing S, wherein in a portion corresponding to a machined outer circumferential surface of a shaft part such as journals (J), crank pins (P), a front part (Fr), and a flange (Fl), a ratio x/y of an area rate x of sulfide in a position (X) corresponding to a parting surface of a die for finish forging to an area rate y of sulfide in a position (Y) corresponding to a bottom of a die impression of the die for finish forging is equal to or lower than 1.5. The forged crankshaft (1) can avoid an occurrence of machined surface cracks on the journals (J) and the crank pins (P) after the outer circumferential surface is machined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Tahira, Kisung Kim, Junichi Okubo
  • Patent number: 9707618
    Abstract: In a forming apparatus, journal dies hold and retain rough journal portions of a preform blank therebetween, and reference crank pin die and movable crank pin dies contact rough crank pin portions thereof. In this state, the journal dies and the movable crank pin dies are moved axially toward the reference crank pin die and the reference crank pin die and the movable crank pin dies are moved perpendicular to an axial direction. With this, rough crank arm portions are axially compressed to reduce their thickness to that of crank arms of a forged crankshaft, and the rough crank pin portions are pressed perpendicular to the axial direction to increase an amount of eccentricity to that of the forged crankshaft crank pins. Consequently, it is possible to form a blank for finish forging having a shape generally in agreement with a shape of the forged crankshaft for a three-cylinder engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Junichi Okubo, Kenji Tamura, Kunihiro Yoshida, Tomihiko Fukuyasu, Nobutaka Tanimoto, Tadashi Matsui
  • Publication number: 20170189955
    Abstract: A method for producing a forged crankshaft includes: a preforming step of forming a preformed blank with no flash, the preformed blank including a shape of the crankshaft, wherein the crank arm have excess projecting portions at an outer peripheries of side portions of the crank arm near the crank pin; a die forging step of forming a forged blank with flash by pressing the preformed blank with a pair of first dies; and a trimming step of removing the flash from the forged blank. In the die forging step, while a second die is abutted against a journal-side surface of the crank arm and holds the surface, the excess projecting portions of the crank arm are deformed by the first dies so as to increase the side portions of the crank arm in thickness.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Inventors: Kenji TAMURA, Junichi OKUBO, Koichro ISHIHARA, Ken YOSHINO, Kunihiro YABUNO, Hiroyuki KUROKAWA, Tomohisa YAMASHITA, Sho TAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170173663
    Abstract: In a forming apparatus, stationary journal dies (10U, 10B) and movable journal dies (11U, 11B) each hold and retain rough journal portions (Ja) of a preform blank (4) therebetween, and crank pin dies (12) contacts rough crank pin portions (Pa) thereof, and in this state, the movable journal dies (11U, 11B) are moved axially toward the stationary journal dies (10U, 10B) and the crank pin dies (12) are moved in the same axial direction and in an eccentric direction. With this, weighted rough arm portions (Aa) are axially compressed to reduce their thickness to that of weighted arms of a forged crankshaft, and the rough crank pin portions (Pa) are pressed in the eccentric direction to increase the amount of eccentricity to that of the crank pins of the forged crankshaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Junichi OKUBO, Kenji TAMURA, Kunihiro YOSHIDA