Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Hozumi

Kazuhiko Hozumi 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: 7244065
    Abstract: There is provided a wheel support bearing assembly (1) utilizing a dual row angular ball bearing. The bearing assembly (1) includes two ball retainers (5) for retaining corresponding rows of balls (4). One or both of the retainers (5) is so designed that the neighboring balls (4) can adjoin directly in a non-contact fashion relative to each other on a pitch circle PCD of the row of the balls (4). For example, the ball retainer (5) is of a generally comb-shape having a plurality of pillars (5b) each formed with a throughhole (13) aligned on the pitch circle PCD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2007
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masuo Takaki, Kazuhiko Hozumi
  • Patent number: 6971177
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device is provided to prevent loosening of a hub ring and an outer joint ring that are fitted together. An irregular portion treated with hardening is formed on a fit face of the hub ring on an inside periphery of which the outer joint member is fitted. A low hardness portion of the outer joint member formed with hardness lower than that of the irregular portion is expanded in diameter to make it bite into the irregular portion. In this way the hub ring and the outer joint ring are unitized together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Ozawa, Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Mitsuru Umekida
  • Publication number: 20050135719
    Abstract: There is provided a wheel support bearing assembly (1) utilizing a dual row angular ball bearing. The bearing assembly (1) includes two ball retainers (5) for retaining corresponding rows of balls (4). One or both of the retainers (5) is so designed that the neighboring balls (4) can adjoin directly in a non-contact fashion relative to each other on a pitch circle PCD of the row of the balls (4). For example, the ball retainer (5) is of a generally comb-shape having a plurality of pillars (5b) each formed with a throughhole (13) aligned on the pitch circle PCD.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masuo Takaki, Kazuhiko Hozumi
  • Patent number: 6780114
    Abstract: In a drive wheel bearing assembly, a fixed type constant velocity universal joint is coupled to a wheel bearing, mounted to one end of an intermediate shaft, and a sliding type constant velocity universal joint, is coupled to a differential, mounted to the other end portion of the intermediate shaft. One end portion of a stub shaft is connected to an inner joint ring of the constant velocity universal joint via torque transmission portions; one end portion of the intermediate shaft is connected to the other end portion of the stub shaft via torque transmission portions. A threaded portion is formed on an outer diameter portion of either the intermediate or stub shaft; a nut member threadedly engages the threaded portion; and a keeper ring is fitted into annular grooves formed on the outer diameter portion of the intermediate shaft or the stub shaft and an inner diameter portion of the nut member allowing the nut member to rotate, but not move axially.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2004
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Akira Torii, Hiroyuki Ogura, Mitsuru Umekida, Shigeaki Fukushima, Eiji Tajima, Hisashi Ohtsuki
  • Publication number: 20040158988
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device is provided to prevent loosening of a hub ring and an outer joint ring that are fitted together. An irregular portion treated with hardening is formed on a fit face of the hub ring on an inside periphery of which the outer joint member is fitted. A low hardness portion of the outer joint member formed with hardness lower than that of the irregular portion is expanded in diameter to make it bite into the irregular portion. In this way the hub ring and the outer joint ring are unitized together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Ozawa, Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Mitsuru Umekida
  • Patent number: 6773165
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device is provided to prevent loosening of a hub ring and an outer joint ring that are fitted together. An irregular portion treated with hardening is formed on a fit face of the hub ring on an inside periphery of which the outer joint member is fitted. A low hardness portion of the outer joint member formed with hardness lower than that of the irregular portion is expanded in diameter to make it bite into the irregular portion. In this way the hub ring and the outer joint ring are unitized together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2004
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiro Ozawa, Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Mitsuru Umekida
  • Patent number: 6729769
    Abstract: A tire wheel bearing apparatus comprises an outer member having multi rows of track surfaces integrally provided on an inner periphery, an inner member having a tire wheel mounting flange provided at one end thereof, a cylindrical small diameter step portion provided at another end thereof and double-rows of track surfaces formed on the inner wheels force fitted to the small diameter step portion so as to oppose to the track surfaces of the outer member, and double-rows of rolling elements respectively interposed between the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member, the inner wheels being fixed to the inner member by radially outwardly caulking the end portion of the small diameter step portion of the inner member, the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member and the rolling elements has a contact angle with a bearing clearance being set to be negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Motoharu Niki, Eiji Tajima, Akira Torii, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Yutaka Yamauchi, Masayuki Kuroda, Masuo Takaki
  • Patent number: 6692157
    Abstract: A bearing device for a drive wheel is provided with improved strength of coupling a hub wheel and an outer joint member without significantly raising the manufacturing cost. The bearing device for a drive wheel includes the hub wheel, a constant velocity universal joint and bearings arranged in inner races, the hub wheel, the universal joint and the bearings being unitized, at least the inner race being formed in the outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint. In the bearing device, the hub wheel and the outer joint member are meshed with each other by way of serrations and coupled to each other by caulking. Undulations of serrations at near a caulked section being filled with plastic deformed part caused by the caulking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Akira Torii
  • Patent number: 6682225
    Abstract: In a bearing apparatus for a wheel in which a hub, a constant velocity universal joint and double rows of bearings are united and one inner raceway of double rows of inner raceways, of the double rows of bearings is integrally formed with an outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint, a stem portion of the outer joint member is fitted to the hub, an unevenness portion is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the hub or an outer peripheral surface of the stem portion or both thereof, and the hub and the outer joint member are plastically connected by expanding the hollow stem portion from an inner diameter side to an outer diameter side by caulking. Accordingly, the fitted portions of the hub and the outer joint member are prevented from being loosened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2004
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Syougo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6637944
    Abstract: A tire wheel bearing apparatus comprises an outer member having multi rows of track surfaces integrally provided on an inner periphery, an inner member having a tire wheel mounting flange provided at one end thereof, a cylindrical small diameter step portion provided at another end thereof and double-rows of track surfaces formed on the inner wheels force fitted to the small diameter step portion so as to oppose to the track surfaces of the outer member, and double-rows of rolling elements respectively interposed between the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member, the inner wheels being fixed to the inner member by radially outwardly caulking the end portion of the small diameter step portion of the inner member, the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member and the rolling elements has a contact angle with a bearing clearance being set to be negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Motoharu Niki, Eiji Tajima, Akira Torii, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Yutaka Yamauchi, Masayuki Kuroda, Masuo Takaki
  • Patent number: 6634951
    Abstract: A driving wheel bearing unit is disclosed which facilitates works including mounting and dismounting to/from a car body. The driving wheel bearing unit is set to satisfy Da≧Db, where Da is the diameter of its external member across a fitting surface thereof to be fitted to a mating member such as a knuckle, and Db is the maximum diameter of its constant velocity joint, so that a mounting bolt fixing the external member can be released to allow unitary extraction of the entire wheel bearing unit and the external member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Ikuya Tateoka, Masahiro Ozawa
  • Patent number: 6585420
    Abstract: To provide a wheel support bearing assembly having a capability of detecting the number of revolutions of a wheel, having no risk of breaking of wire outside a vehicle body, capable of reducing the weight and cost of an automotive vehicle. This wheel support bearing assembly for rotatably supporting a wheel 13 relative to a vehicle body structure 12 includes an outer member 1 having its inner periphery formed with plural rows of raceways 6 and 7, an inner member 2 having raceways 8 and 9 confronting respectively to the raceways 6 and 7, and rows of rolling elements 3 accommodated respectively between the raceways. An electric generator 4 for generating an electric power as one of the outer and inner members 1 and 2 rotates relative to the other of the outer and inner members 1 and 2. A signal indicative of the number of revolutions of the wheel 13 outputted from the electric generator 4 is transmitted wireless by mean of a wireless transmitting means 5A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Okada, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Koji Sahashi, Kenichi Suzumura, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Akira Torii, Takayuki Norimatsu, Hiroaki Ohba
  • Publication number: 20030081872
    Abstract: In a bearing apparatus for a wheel in which a hub, a constant velocity universal joint and double rows of bearings are united and one inner raceway of double rows of inner raceways, of the double rows of bearings is integrally formed with an outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint, a stem portion of the outer joint member is fitted to the hub, an unevenness portion is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the hub or an outer peripheral surface of the stem portion or both thereof, and the hub and the outer joint member are plastically connected by expanding the hollow stem portion from an inner diameter side to an outer diameter side by caulking. Accordingly, the fitted portions of the hub and the outer joint member are prevented from being loosened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Syougo Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20030048967
    Abstract: A tire wheel bearing apparatus comprises an outer member having multi rows of track surfaces integrally provided on an inner periphery, an inner member having a tire wheel mounting flange provided at one end thereof, a cylindrical small diameter step portion provided at another end thereof and double-rows of track surfaces formed on the inner wheels force fitted to the small diameter step portion so as to oppose to the track surfaces of the outer member, and double-rows of rolling elements respectively interposed between the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member, the inner wheels being fixed to the inner member by radially outwardly caulking the end portion of the small diameter step portion of the inner member, the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member and the rolling elements has a contact angle with a bearing clearance being set to be negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: March 13, 2003
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Motoharu Niki, Eiji Tajima, Akira Torii, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Yutaka Yamauchi, Masayuki Kuroda, Masuo Takaki
  • Publication number: 20030039423
    Abstract: A tire wheel bearing apparatus comprises an outer member having multi rows of track surfaces integrally provided on an inner periphery, an inner member having a tire wheel mounting flange provided at one end thereof, a cylindrical small diameter step portion provided at another end thereof and double-rows of track surfaces formed on the inner wheels force fitted to the small diameter step portion so as to oppose to the track surfaces of the outer member, and double-rows of rolling elements respectively interposed between the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member, the inner wheels being fixed to the inner member by radially outwardly caulking the end portion of the small diameter step portion of the inner member, the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member and the rolling elements has a contact angle with a bearing clearance being set to be negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Motoharu Niki, Eiji Tajima, Akira Torii, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Yutaka Yamauchi, Masayuki Kuroda, Masuo Takaki
  • Patent number: 6506122
    Abstract: Each pocket of a cage is composed of a pair of axial wall surfaces opposing each other along the axial line of the cage, a pair of circumferential wall surfaces opposing each other along the circumference direction of the cage, and radii linking the axial wall surfaces and circumferential wall surface. A ratio (R/d) of the radius of curvature R of the radii to the diameter d of the torque transmitting balls is set within a range 0.45 R/d 0.62. Also, the circumferential wall surfaces and radii are shaped along an arc having the radius of curvature R. Further, as to the axial wall surfaces, variance in the treatment margin is lessened by applying the grinding, hardened steel cutting, or the like after the heat treatment (carburized hardening and tempering) is applied to the cage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Nakagawa, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Masazumi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 6497515
    Abstract: In a bearing apparatus for a wheel in which a hub, a constant velocity universal joint and double rows of bearings are united and one inner raceway of double rows of inner raceways, of the double rows of bearings is integrally formed with an outer joint member of the constant velocity universal joint, a stem portion of the outer joint member is fitted to the hub, an unevenness portion is formed on an inner peripheral surface of the hub or an outer peripheral surface of the stem portion or both thereof, and the hub and the outer joint member are plastically connected by expanding the hollow stem portion from an inner diameter side to an outer diameter side by caulking. Accordingly, the fitted portions of the hub and the outer joint member are prevented from being loosened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2002
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Hisashi Ohtsuki, Syougo Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6491440
    Abstract: A tire wheel bearing apparatus comprises an outer member having multi rows of track surfaces integrally provided on an inner periphery, an inner member having a tire wheel mounting flange provided at one end thereof, a cylindrical small diameter step portion provided at another end thereof and double-rows of track surfaces formed on the inner wheels force fitted to the small diameter step portion so as to oppose to the track surfaces of the outer member, and double-rows of rolling elements respectively interposed between the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member, the inner wheels being fixed to the inner member by radially outwardly caulking the end portion of the small diameter step portion of the inner member, the track surfaces in the outer member and the inner member and the rolling elements has a contact angle with a bearing clearance being set to be negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sahashi, Motoharu Niki, Eiji Tajima, Akira Torii, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Masahiro Ozawa, Nobuyoshi Yamashita, Yutaka Yamauchi, Masayuki Kuroda, Masuo Takaki
  • Publication number: 20020183122
    Abstract: A constant velocity universal joint is provided, which can ensure a smooth torque transmission, extend the useful life thereof, maintain the constant velocity, and damp vibrations and abnormal sounds. The constant velocity universal joint having at least two sets of link mechanisms. The link mechanism has: link hubs installed in an input shaft and an output shaft, respectively; end link members rotatably each coupled with the link hubs installed in the respective input and the output shafts; and a central link member to which the end link members on the respective input and output shaft sides are rotatably coupled. Geometries of the mechanism on the input shaft side and the output shaft side are identical to each other across a transverse plane in a center of the link mechanism. The universal joint further has rotational resistance reducing means installed in at least either coupling part between the link hub and the end link member or coupling part between the central link member and the end link member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Keisuke Sone, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Haruo Nagatani, Tatsuro Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20020126929
    Abstract: A wheel bearing device is provided to prevent loosening of a hub ring and an outer joint ring that are fitted together. An irregular portion treated with hardening is formed on a fit face of the hub ring on an inside periphery of which the outer joint member is fitted. A low hardness portion of the outer joint member formed with hardness lower than that of the irregular portion is expanded in diameter to make it bite into the irregular portion. In this way the hub ring and the outer joint ring are unitized together.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2001
    Publication date: September 12, 2002
    Inventors: Masahiro Ozawa, Koji Sahashi, Kazuhiko Hozumi, Keisuke Sone, Mitsuru Umekida