Patents by Inventor Kengo Minami

Kengo Minami 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: 11401986
    Abstract: A controller for a vehicle driven by transmitting a torque generated by a torque generator to driving wheels corrects the torque generated by the torque generator according to a torsion rate of an elastic torsion element present in a torque transmission system extending from the torque generator to the driving wheels to reduce the torsional vibration of the elastic torsion element. The torque generator may include an engine and a clutch to transmit a rotation of the engine to the torque transmission system. The controller may include a clutch controller to correct the torque generated by the torque generator by controlling the transmission torque of the clutch according to the torsion rate of the elastic torsion element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shota Yoshitake, Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 11143247
    Abstract: A clutch driving device having a self-lock function includes a friction mechanism that generates a friction force in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of rotation transferred by a transfer mechanism that transfers an output of a motor to a clutch. The friction mechanism includes a rotation body that rotates by the force in the rotation direction transferred by the transfer mechanism, a friction plate that generates a friction force by contact with the rotation body, and a spring that biases the friction plate toward the rotation body such that the rotation body and the friction plate are brought into contact with each other. An intermediate shaft of the transfer mechanism includes a rotation transfer portion that rotates together with the rotation body and is movable in the axial direction relative to the rotation body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Minami, Yoshiki Terashima, Yu Sekiya
  • Patent number: 11111968
    Abstract: A clutch unit includes a clutch having a clutch spring, a motor that generates an actuation driving force for actuating the clutch, an output shaft that transfers the clutch reaction force to the clutch and receives an elastic restoring force of the clutch spring as a clutch reaction force, and a spring that inputs an assist force for assisting the actuation driving force to the output shaft. In switching the clutch from an engaged state to a disengaged state, the output shaft receives the assist force before receiving the clutch reaction force, whereas in switching the clutch from the disengaged state to the engaged state, the assist force becomes zero after the clutch reaction force becomes zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Minami, Yoshiki Terashima
  • Publication number: 20210115987
    Abstract: A controller for a vehicle driven by transmitting a torque generated by a torque generator to driving wheels corrects the torque generated by the torque generator according to a torsion rate of an elastic torsion element present in a torque transmission system extending from the torque generator to the driving wheels to reduce the torsional vibration of the elastic torsion element. The torque generator may include an engine and a clutch to transmit a rotation of the engine to the torque transmission system. The controller may include a clutch controller to correct the torque generated by the torque generator by controlling the transmission torque of the clutch according to the torsion rate of the elastic torsion element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventors: Shota YOSHITAKE, Kengo MINAMI
  • Patent number: 10844910
    Abstract: A clutch driving device includes: a spring that is deformable in a circumferential direction when seen in an axial direction to thereby generate a force in the circumferential direction; a first projection disposed at one end of the spring; an output gear that rotates in an disengaging direction or an engaging direction of the clutch; and a pin that is provided to the output gear to be rotatable together with the output gear and contacts the first projection to thereby transfer the elastic restoring force to the output gear. A contact point between the first projection and the pin moves toward an axis of the spring at least once when seen in the axial direction of the spring in a case where the output gear rotates in a direction in which the elastic restoring force of the spring decreases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo Minami, Yoshiki Terashima
  • Publication number: 20190338811
    Abstract: A clutch unit includes a clutch having a clutch spring, a motor that generates an actuation driving force for actuating the clutch, an output shaft that transfers the clutch reaction force to the clutch and receives an elastic restoring force of the clutch spring as a clutch reaction force, and a spring that inputs an assist force for assisting the actuation driving force to the output shaft. In switching the clutch from an engaged state to a disengaged state, the output shaft receives the assist force before receiving the clutch reaction force, whereas in switching the clutch from the disengaged state to the engaged state, the assist force becomes zero after the clutch reaction force becomes zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo MINAMI, Yoshiki TERASHIMA
  • Publication number: 20190316639
    Abstract: A clutch driving device having a self-lock function includes a friction mechanism that generates a friction force in a direction opposite to a rotation direction of rotation transferred by a transfer mechanism that transfers an output of a motor to a clutch. The friction mechanism includes a rotation body that rotates by the force in the rotation direction transferred by the transfer mechanism, a friction plate that generates a friction force by contact with the rotation body, and a spring that biases the friction plate toward the rotation body such that the rotation body and the friction plate are brought into contact with each other. An intermediate shaft of the transfer mechanism includes a rotation transfer portion that rotates together with the rotation body and is movable in the axial direction relative to the rotation body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2019
    Publication date: October 17, 2019
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo MINAMI, Yoshiki TERASHIMA, Yu SEKIYA
  • Publication number: 20190301541
    Abstract: A clutch driving device includes: a spring that is deformable in a circumferential direction when seen in an axial direction to thereby generate a force in the circumferential direction; a first projection disposed at one end of the spring; an output gear that rotates in an disengaging direction or an engaging direction of the clutch; and a pin that is provided to the output gear to be rotatable together with the output gear and contacts the first projection to thereby transfer the elastic restoring force to the output gear. A contact point between the first projection and the pin moves toward an axis of the spring at least once when seen in the axial direction of the spring in a case where the output gear rotates in a direction in which the elastic restoring force of the spring decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Publication date: October 3, 2019
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kengo MINAMI, Yoshiki TERASHIMA
  • Patent number: 9637130
    Abstract: A clutch control system for vehicle is applied to a vehicle having a clutch and a transmission disposed in a power transmission path from an engine to a vehicle wheel. The system includes a first rotational speed detecting unit to detect a driving side rotational speed of the clutch, a second rotational speed detecting unit to detect a driven side rotational speed of the clutch, a half-clutch control unit, and a half-clutch transition control unit. The half-clutch control unit executes a first half-clutch control on the clutch actuator when a gear position of the transmission and a rotational direction of a driven side portion of the clutch are matched and executes, on the clutch actuator, a second half-clutch control, differing from the first half-clutch control, when the gear position of the transmission and the rotational direction of the driven side portion of the clutch are not matched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Publication number: 20160167655
    Abstract: A clutch control system for vehicle is applied to a vehicle having a clutch and a transmission disposed in a power transmission path from an engine to a vehicle wheel. The system includes a first rotational speed detecting unit to detect a driving side rotational speed of the clutch, a second rotational speed detecting unit to detect a driven side rotational speed of the clutch, a half-clutch control unit, and a half-clutch transition control unit. The half-clutch control unit executes a first half-clutch control on the clutch actuator when a gear position of the transmission and a rotational direction of a driven side portion of the clutch are matched and executes, on the clutch actuator, a second half-clutch control, differing from the first half-clutch control, when the gear position of the transmission and the rotational direction of the driven side portion of the clutch are not matched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo MINAMI
  • Patent number: 9020720
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a friction clutch located between an engine and a driving wheel; a clutch actuator arranged to disengage and engage the friction clutch; a clutch actuator control section arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator; a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of the driving wheel; and an engine control section arranged and programmed to decrease an output of the engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the friction clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected at the time of starting of the vehicle, the clutch actuator control section controls the clutch actuator so as to change a pushing force of the friction clutch and thus to keep the rotation speed of the engine at a fixed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 9008932
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cruise control section arranged and programmed to perform control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed while a clutch is engaged. A clutch actuator control section performs control to disengage the clutch when the value of a parameter becomes equal to or lower than a first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to not be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed; and performs the control to disengage the clutch when the value of the parameter becomes equal to or lower than a second threshold value, which is lower than the first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 8880306
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a friction clutch located between an engine and a driving wheel; a clutch actuator arranged to disengage and engage the friction clutch; a clutch actuator control section arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator; a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of the driving wheel; and an engine control section arranged and programmed to decrease an output of the engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the friction clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected, the clutch actuator control section is arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator so as to maintain a pushing force of the friction clutch at a fixed or substantially fixed level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Publication number: 20140046559
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a friction clutch located between an engine and a driving wheel; a clutch actuator arranged to disengage and engage the friction clutch; a clutch actuator control section arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator; a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of the driving wheel; and an engine control section arranged and programmed to decrease an output of the engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the friction clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected, the clutch actuator control section is arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator so as to maintain a pushing force of the friction clutch at a fixed or substantially fixed level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo MINAMI
  • Publication number: 20140046563
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a cruise control section arranged and programmed to perform control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed while a clutch is engaged. A clutch actuator control section performs control to disengage the clutch when the value of a parameter becomes equal to or lower than a first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to not be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed; and performs the control to disengage the clutch when the value of the parameter becomes equal to or lower than a second threshold value, which is lower than the first threshold value, in the case where the cruise control section is determined to be performing the control to maintain the vehicle speed at a prescribed vehicle speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo MINAMI
  • Publication number: 20140046562
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a friction clutch located between an engine and a driving wheel; a clutch actuator arranged to disengage and engage the friction clutch; a clutch actuator control section arranged and programmed to control the clutch actuator; a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of the driving wheel; and an engine control section arranged and programmed to decrease an output of the engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the friction clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected at the time of starting of the vehicle, the clutch actuator control section controls the clutch actuator so as to change a pushing force of the friction clutch and thus to keep the rotation speed of the engine at a fixed level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kengo MINAMI
  • Patent number: 8543301
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a slip detection section arranged to detect a slip of a driving wheel based on the rotation speed of the driving wheel and the vehicle speed, and an engine control section arranged and programmed to perform control to decrease the output of an engine when the slip of the driving wheel is detected by the slip detection section. When the automatic clutch is in a half clutch state and the slip of the driving wheel is detected, the engine control section executes neither ignition retarding control on an ignition device nor a fuel injection amount decreasing control on a fuel injection valve, and executes control to decrease an opening of a throttle valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 8396636
    Abstract: A clutch controller that transmits appropriate torque during engaging operation of a clutch. An actual torque obtaining section obtains torque transmitted from a drive-side member of the clutch to a downstream mechanism in a torque transmission path as actual transmission torque, the downstream mechanism including a driven-side member of the clutch. A target torque obtaining section obtains torque that is supposed to be transmitted from the drive-side member to the downstream mechanism in the torque transmission path as target transmission torque. A clutch actuator control section actuates an actuator by an actuation amount according to a difference between the actual transmission torque and the target transmission torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 8337363
    Abstract: A gear change control device actuates an actuator in response to an input of a gear change command and sets the clutch in an intermediate state between the engaged and disengaged states before a plurality of gears in the transmission are selectively engaged by dog clutches. In the intermediate state, a driving-side friction member and a driven-side friction member of the clutch are pressed against each other at a pressure lower than in the engaged state. The gear change control device actuates the clutch actuator to restore the friction clutch set in the intermediate state to the engaged state after the plurality of gears are selectively engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami
  • Patent number: 8160792
    Abstract: A failure detection system for accurately detecting a failure of a clutch. A clutch actuation mechanism changes the relative positions of drive-side and driven-side members of the clutch. A position detector detects a position of the clutch actuation mechanism as a clutch position. A control unit obtains torque transmitted from the drive-side member to the driven-side member as actual transmission torque. The control unit detects a failure of the clutch based on the actual transmission torque and the clutch position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2012
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kengo Minami