Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Odahara

Kazuhiro Odahara 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: 8290692
    Abstract: An engine-starting device for stopping the engine after satisfaction of an idling-stop condition during idling of a vehicle, starting rotation of a starter-motor upon satisfaction of a starter-motor rotation start condition, and causing a pinion gear to mesh with a ring gear upon satisfaction of a pinion gear meshing condition, includes the ring gear to be connected to a crank shaft, the pinion gear for transmitting the starter-motor rotation, a plunger for causing the pinion gear to mesh with the ring gear, and a starter control section for instructing energization of the starter-motor, in which the starter-motor is energized to be rotated upon the satisfaction of the starter-motor rotation start condition prior to clearing of the idling-stop condition in response to a restart request, and the pinion gear is caused to mesh with the ring gear by the plunger upon the satisfaction of the pinion gear meshing condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Electric Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Masahiko Kurishige, Akihiko Imagi, Daisuke Mizuno, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20120199090
    Abstract: Provided is an engine starting device enabling the meshing engagement of a pinion gear and a ring gear to be quickly and quietly achieved in an automatic idle-stop system while an engine is rotating by inertia. The engine starting device includes: a ring gear connected to a crankshaft of an engine; a starter motor for starting the engine; a pinion gear for transmitting rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; pinion-gear moving portion for moving the pinion gear so as to achieve meshing engagement with the ring gear; and starter control portion for executing any one of a plurality of control modes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Masahiko Kurishige, Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20120103294
    Abstract: An engine starting device for an automatic idling stop system includes: a crank angle sensor for detecting a crank angle of an engine; a ring gear connected to a crankshaft of the engine, for transmitting rotation of the engine; ring gear rpm detecting section; a starter motor for starting the engine; a pinion gear for transmitting rotation of the starter motor to the ring gear; pinion-gear push-out section for pushing out the pinion gear into meshing engagement with the ring gear; and pinion gear push-out control section for driving the pinion-gear push-out section to bring the pinion gear and the ring gear into meshing engagement when the ring gear rpm detected by the ring gear rotational speed detection section becomes smaller than a threshold value which is determined by at least one of the crank angle, a gear range, and a restart condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Publication date: May 3, 2012
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kitano, Masahiko Kurishige, Daisuke Mizuno, Koichiro Kamei, Shiro Yonezawa, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20110095545
    Abstract: Provided is an engine starter having a simple structure and excellent in stability and reliability, which starts an engine while preventing an occurrence of instantaneous interruption in an electrical device mounted in a vehicle. An engine starter for driving a starter motor by closing a starter switch 5 connected in series between a power source 3 and the starter motor 2 for receiving power supply from the power source to start an engine includes: a resistor 7 connected in series to the starter switch between the power source and the starter motor, for limiting a current flowing through the starter motor; and a short-circuiting switch 6 connected in parallel to the resistor, for short-circuiting both ends of the resistor by energization of a driving coil after start of an operation of closing the starter switch, and the resistor is made of a plate-like stainless steel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2010
    Publication date: April 28, 2011
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Haruki Nakayama, Kazuhiro Odahara, Naohito Kaneda
  • Publication number: 20100256896
    Abstract: An engine-starting device for stopping the engine after satisfaction of an idling-stop condition during idling of a vehicle, starting rotation of a starter-motor upon satisfaction of a starter-motor rotation start condition, and causing a pinion gear to mesh with a ring gear upon satisfaction of a pinion gear meshing condition, includes the ring gear to be connected to a crank shaft, the pinion gear for transmitting the starter-motor rotation, a plunger for causing the pinion gear to mesh with the ring gear, and a starter control section for instructing energization of the starter-motor, in which the starter-motor is energized to be rotated upon the satisfaction of the starter-motor rotation start condition prior to clearing of the idling-stop condition in response to a restart request, and the pinion gear is caused to mesh with the ring gear by the plunger upon the satisfaction of the pinion gear meshing condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2009
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki KITANO, Masahiko KURISHIGE, Akihiko IMAGI, Daisuke MIZUNO, Koichiro KAMEI, Kazuhiro ODAHARA, Naohito KANEDA
  • Publication number: 20080289446
    Abstract: Obtained is an engine starter having a structure in which, even when frictional heat is generated on a roller due to sliding of a roller and a clutch inner with respect to each other, deformation of a rolling contact surface of the roller is reduced by suppressing reduction in hardness of the rolling contact surface of the roller due to the frictional heat, thereby making it possible to improve transmission of a rotation force from a clutch outer to a clutch inner. The engine starter includes a clutch (5) for transmitting a rotation force of an output shaft (4) to a pinion gear (7), a clutch outer (10), a clutch inner (11) having one end portion facing an inner portion of the clutch outer (10) and another end portion to which the pinion gear (7) is fixed, and a roller (12) which rolls while being provided between the clutch outer (10) and the clutch inner (11). The clutch outer (10) is formed with a notch portion (10a) of a tapered shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2007
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Hidekazu Katayama, Kazuhiro Odahara, Mutsuhiro Ichioka
  • Publication number: 20080053777
    Abstract: Rollers and springs are installed in notch portions of a clutch outer (S104), an inscribed circle diameter of the rollers is measured in a state in which the rollers are placed in contact with stopping portions by pressure from the springs (S105), and an outside diameter of a cylindrical portion is determined from the inscribed circle diameter measured value such that a predetermined amount of roller bite is achieved (S106). Then, the outside diameter of the cylindrical portion is finished so as to have the determined value of the outside diameter (S108). An overrunning clutch is assembled by pairing together the clutch outer, rollers, and springs and the clutch inner (S110).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koichiro Kamei, Kazuhiro Odahara, Hidekazu Katayama, Jiro Hirao
  • Patent number: 7028794
    Abstract: A transmission gear for an automobile includes a dynamo-electric machine operating as a motor and a generator, a dynamo-electric machine control device, a dynamo-electric machine pulley, an auxiliary machine pulley, a crank pulley rotatable relative to or integrally with the crank shaft, a sun gear coupled to the crank pulley, planetary gears each rotatable and revolvable along an outer periphery of the sun gear, a carrier for supporting the planetary gear rotatably and revolvably and connected to the crank shaft, an internal gear meshing with the planetary gear, an electromagnetic clutch for changing over the internal gear between restrained and unrestrained states, an electromagnetic clutch changeover control device, and a one-way clutch provided between the internal gear and the carrier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Odahara, Yutaka Kitamura
  • Patent number: 6878094
    Abstract: A power transmission control device for vehicle controls switching between a speed increasing mode and a constant speed mode on the basis of electrical load, battery or the like, and shock due to switching is less. The power transmission control device includes: an electric rotating machine 5; a crank pulley 15; a planetary gear mechanism consisting of a sun gear 18, a planetary gear 19 and an internal gear 20; and controller 70 for controlling an electromagnetic clutch 21. The electromagnetic clutch 21 is ON to operate the planetary gear mechanism as a speed increasing mechanism and drive the electric rotating machine 5 at an increasing speed, when engine speed of the internal combustion engine 1 is not higher than a predetermined value, remaining capacity of the battery 9 is not more than a predetermined level or electrical load is in a high-load state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Kitamura, Kazuhiro Odahara, Shigeru Shiroyama
  • Publication number: 20040164560
    Abstract: A transmission gear for an automobile includes a dynamo-electric machine operating as a motor and a generator, a dynamo-electric machine control means, a dynamo-electric machine pulley, an auxiliary machine pulley, a crank pulley rotatable relative to or integrally with the crank shaft, a sun gear coupled to the crank pulley, planetary gears each rotatable and revolvable along an outer periphery of the sun gear, a carrier for supporting the planetary gear rotatably and revolvably and connected to the crank shaft, an internal gear meshing with the planetary gear, an electromagnetic clutch for changing over the internal gear between restrained and unrestrained states, an electromagnetic clutch changeover control means, and a one-way clutch provided between the internal gear and the carrier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Odahara, Yutaka Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20030224903
    Abstract: A power transmission control device for vehicle controls switching between a speed increasing mode and a constant speed mode on the basis of electrical load, battery or the like, and shock due to switching is less. The power transmission control device includes: an electric rotating machine 5; a crank pulley 15; a planetary gear mechanism consisting of a sun gear 18, a planetary gear 19 and an internal gear 20; and controller 70 for controlling an electromagnetic clutch 21. The electromagnetic clutch 21 is ON to operate the planetary gear mechanism as a speed increasing mechanism and drive the electric rotating machine 5 at an increasing speed, when engine speed of the internal combustion engine 1 is not higher than a predetermined value, remaining capacity of the battery 9 is not more than a predetermined level or electrical load is in a high-load state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI DENKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Kitamura, Kazuhiro Odahara, Shigeru Shiroyama
  • Patent number: 5237230
    Abstract: A device for starting an engine and generating power comprising a frame attached to a main body of an engine, a stator core fixed in the frame and attached with a stator coil, a field core attached to an inner end face of the frame, having a clearance in the radial direction between the field core and an inner peripheral portion of the stator core and accommodating a field coil, a claw-pole type rotating field electrodes disposed between the stator core and the field core interposing air-gaps respectively among the field electrodes, the stator core and the field core, a driving shaft passing through an inner diameter portion of the field core and supported thereby through bearings, a planetary gear device interposed between a crankshaft and the driving shaft an end portion of which is fixed with a sun gear which decelerates and transmits first rotation of the driving shaft to the crankshaft in starting an engine and accelerates and transmits second rotation of the crankshaft to the driving shaft in generating
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki K.K.
    Inventors: Takeshi Sugiyama, Kazuhiro Odahara
  • Patent number: 5010265
    Abstract: A moisture drain bush for use in a moisture drain hole in an engine starter motor housing wall comprises a stem having a first and a second end and an axial length equal to a housing wall thickness and having an axial groove extending between the first and second ends of the stem. A first flange may be frustoconical shape so that its conical circumferential surface guide and assists smooth insertion of the flange into the drain hole, and has a flat inner surface radially extending from the first end of the stem and larger than the drain hole is provided. The first flange also has a first radial groove connected to one end of the axial groove in the stem and radially extending to the outer periphery of the first flange. A second flange having a flat inner surface radially extends from the second end of the stem and larger than the drain hole is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1990
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Tanaka, Kazuhiro Odahara
  • Patent number: 4989467
    Abstract: A coaxial type starter device comprises a motor having a dubular armature rotary shaft 22a, a rotary output shaft 3 partially inserted in the tubular armature shaft from its one side, the rotary output shaft being provided with a pinion 4 to be engaged with a ring gear of an engine, a driving force transmitting unit, disposed at one side of the motor and between the armature rotary shaft and the rotary output shaft, comprising a roller type overrunning clutch 30 and a planet gear wheel type speed reducing mechanism 10 for reducing a revolutional speed of the armature rotary shaft, and an electromagnetic switch, disposed at the other side of the motor, which causes the pinion of the rotary output shaft to engage with or disengage from the ring gear of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 1989
    Date of Patent: February 5, 1991
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Morishita, Kazuhiro Odahara, Shuzoo Isozumi
  • Patent number: 4808836
    Abstract: A coaxial engine starter comprises an electric motor including a yoke, an armature and a hollow armature shaft, an output shaft arranged coaxially with the armature shaft, a planet reduction gear mechanism disposed between the armature shaft and the output shaft for reducing a rotational speed of the armature shaft and rotating the output shaft at a reduced rotational speed, an electromagnetic switch having a plunger ganged with a rod for selectively coupling the output shaft to the planet reduction gear mechanism, a front bracket including an internal gear of the planet reduction gear mechanism and a bearing receiving a radial load and bolt means for securing the front bracket, the electromagnetic switch and the yoke of the motor to an engine bracket, all together.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1988
    Date of Patent: February 28, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shuzo Isozumi, Kazuhiro Odahara, Toshinori Tanaka