Patents by Inventor Kenji Omote

Kenji Omote 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: 6777837
    Abstract: A hybrid-vehicle drive unit supports a motor-generator with high precision, improving the efficiency of the motor-generator, and reducing the size of the motor-generator, independent of any influence of centering precision of the crank shaft and of deformation of the torque converter. According to the invention, a motor housing is disposed between a converter housing and an internal combustion engine, and a bearing is fitted to a lateral wall provided in a front portion of the motor housing. Rotor supporting members are independently supported by the bearing. Eccentric rotation of the crank shaft resulting from explosive vibrations of the engine is counteracted by two flex plates. Owing to a predetermined clearance, one of the rotor supporting members as a separate component is free from the influence of deformation of the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeo Tsuzuki, Kenji Omote, Masahiro Hasebe, Satoru Wakuta, Keiichi Shinohara, Atsushi Tabata, Yutaka Taga, Seiji Nakamura, Masaya Amano
  • Patent number: 6750930
    Abstract: A reflector and reflector-type LCD suppresses inter-object reflection over a wide angle, and provides particularly high reflectance in an intended range of viewing angle. The reflector includes a plurality of concave portions with an inclination angle (an angle between a plane tangential to a point on a concave surface and the surface of the base material) that is maximum on a side portion of the curved surface. The concave portions may also be formed such that an inner surface of each of the concave portions include a peripheral curved surface and a bottom curved surface are continuously connected to each other. The peripheral curved surface and the bottom curved surface are interposed partial spheres having different radii and non-collinear normal lines from the surface of each sphere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 15, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tatsuya Moriike, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20040084233
    Abstract: An output of an internal combustion engine is transmitted to an output shaft by controlling a control motor to change a speed without speed steps, in a power distribution planetary gear. An output of a drive motor is input to the output shaft by changing the speed into two-step decelerated rotation by means of an automatic transmission. The transmission produces a desired torque by decelerating the speed by a large degree when a vehicle speed is low, and produces a desired number of revolutions by decelerating the speed by a small degree when the vehicle speed is high.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2003
    Publication date: May 6, 2004
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Wakuta, Kenji Omote, Takeshi Inuzuka, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Kozo Yamaguchi, Masatoshi Adachi, Kazutoshi Motoike, Masahiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20040056997
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reflector having a light-diffusing property which suppresses inter-object reflection over a wide angle, and giving particularly high reflectance in an intended range of viewing angle; and to provide a reflection type liquid crystal display device using the same. The reflector includes a plurality of light-reflective concave portions. Each of the concave portions is formed so that an inclination angle (an angle between a plane tangential to a point on a concave surface and the surface of the base material) is maximum on a side portion of the curved surface, and so that the direction of the side portion having the maximum inclination angle is on a far side from a view point of an observer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tatsuya Moriike, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20040056996
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reflector having a light-diffusing property which suppresses inter-object reflection over a wide angle, and giving particularly high reflectance in an intended range of viewing angle; and to provide a reflection type liquid crystal display device using the same. The reflector includes a plurality of light-reflective concave portions. Each of the concave portions is formed so that an inclination angle (an angle between a plane tangential to a point on a concave surface and the surface of the base material) is maximum on a side portion of the curved surface, and so that the direction of the side portion having the maximum inclination angle is on a far side from a view point of an observer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tatsuya Moriike, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20040057137
    Abstract: Light-reflective concave portions are disposed on the surface of a substrate. The concave portions have a first and second vertical section perpendicular to each other. The first vertical section has an internal shape defined by a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from one point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion to the deepest point of the concave portion, and the second curve extending continuously from the first curve and from the deepest point of the concave portion to another point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion. The average of the absolute value of an inclination angle of the first curve is larger than that of the second curve relative to the substrate surface. The second vertical section has an internal shape defined by a shallow curve and deep curves formed at both sides of the shallow curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20040057136
    Abstract: Light-reflective concave portions are disposed on the surface of a substrate. The concave portions have a first and second vertical section perpendicular to each other. The first vertical section has an internal shape defined by a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from one point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion to the deepest point of the concave portion, and the second curve extending continuously from the first curve and from the deepest point of the concave portion to another point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion. The average of the absolute value of an inclination angle of the first curve is larger than that of the second curve relative to the substrate surface. The second vertical section has an internal shape defined by a shallow curve and deep curves formed at both sides of the shallow curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Publication date: March 25, 2004
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Publication number: 20040045752
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive system is designed to have dimensions that are shorter in an axial direction and improved centering accuracy of a rotor, in order to prevent deterioration of motor performance. A rotor support plate (15) has a flat-plate shaped disk portion (15b), and is fixed to a front cover (32) of a take off device (5), such as a torque converter, or the like, at the disk portion with a set block (67) and a bolt (69). A forward portion of the take off device is centered and supported by fitting a center piece (33) to a crankshaft (3). A support-plate hub (15a) is in contact with the center piece (33) at a small area (33c) in a vicinity of a fixing plane P of the disk portion (15b) and the set block (67), and thus centering of the rotor (13) is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Kenji Omote, Satoru Wakuta
  • Patent number: 6695454
    Abstract: Light-reflective concave portions are disposed on the surface of a substrate. The concave portions have a first and second vertical section perpendicular to each other. The first vertical section has an internal shape defined by a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from one point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion to the deepest point of the concave portion, and the second curve extending continuously from the first curve and from the deepest point of the concave portion to another point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion. The average of the absolute value of an inclination angle of the first curve is larger than that of the second curve relative to the substrate surface. The second vertical section has an internal shape defined by a shallow curve and deep curves formed at both sides of the shallow curve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2004
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Patent number: 6662904
    Abstract: A lubricating apparatus, for a friction engagement element that engages a rotatable member with a case includes a hub connected to the rotatable member, friction members disposed between the hub and the case, a hydraulic servo for engaging the friction members, and an oil passage for supplying lubricant from the case to the friction members. A discharge opening of the oil passage is formed at a position which is radially inward of the friction members and which is axially to a side of the friction members. The discharge opening is directed toward the friction members. A weir member for restricting escape of lubricant in the axial direction through a gap between the hub and the friction members is provided at the other axial side of the friction members. Therefore, the axial escape of lubricant exiting the friction members can be prevented by a non-contact leakage restriction that does not cause drag resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2003
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Omote, Takeshi Inuzuka, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Mitsuhiro Umeyama, Hisanori Nomoto, Yuji Iwase
  • Publication number: 20030043322
    Abstract: Light-reflective concave portions are disposed on the surface of a substrate. The concave portions have a first and second vertical section perpendicular to each other. The first vertical section has an internal shape defined by a first curve and a second curve, the first curve extending from one point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion to the deepest point of the concave portion, and the second curve extending continuously from the first curve and from the deepest point of the concave portion to another point on the peripheral edge of the concave portion. The average of the absolute value of an inclination angle of the first curve is larger than that of the second curve relative to the substrate surface. The second vertical section has an internal shape defined by a shallow curve and deep curves formed at both sides of the shallow curve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2002
    Publication date: March 6, 2003
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Patent number: 6478101
    Abstract: To reduce the axial dimension and size of a drive train for a hybrid vehicle, a rotor is supported within a recess formed in the end face of the a crankshaft and is further supported by the front cover of the torque converter. As a result, compared with drive trains which have a fixed member extending from the motor housing to support the rotor, the axial dimension and size of the drive train are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Taniguchi, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Satoru Wakuta, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Takeshi Inuzuka, Kenji Omote
  • Publication number: 20020036434
    Abstract: A hybrid-vehicle drive unit supports a motor-generator with high precision, improving the efficiency of the motor-generator, and reducing the size of the motor-generator, independent of any influence of centering precision of the crank shaft and of deformation of the torque converter. According to the invention, a motor housing is disposed between a converter housing and an internal combustion engine, and a bearing is fitted to a lateral wall provided in a front portion of the motor housing. Rotor supporting members are independently supported by the bearing. Eccentric rotation of the crank shaft resulting from explosive vibrations of the engine is counteracted by two flex plates. Owing to a predetermined clearance, one of the rotor supporting members as a separate component is free from the influence of deformation of the torque converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Shigeo Tsuzuki, Kenji Omote, Masahiro Hasebe, Satoru Wakuta, Keiichi Shinohara, Atsushi Tabata, Yutaka Taga, Seiji Nakamura, Masaya Amano
  • Publication number: 20020036120
    Abstract: A lubricating apparatus, for a friction engagement element that engages a rotatable member with a case includes a hub connected to the rotatable member, friction members disposed between the hub and the case, a hydraulic servo for engaging the friction members, and an oil passage for supplying lubricant from the case to the friction members. A discharge opening of the oil passage is formed at a position which is radially inward of the friction members and which is axially to a side of the friction members. The discharge opening is directed toward the friction members. A weir member for restricting escape of lubricant in the axial direction through a gap between the hub and the friction members is provided at the other axial side of the friction members. Therefore, the axial escape of lubricant exiting the friction members can be prevented by a non-contact leakage restriction that does not cause drag resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Omote, Takeshi Inuzuka, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Mitsuhiro Umeyama, Hisanori Nomoto, Yuji Iwase
  • Publication number: 20020030774
    Abstract: A reflector and reflector-type LCD suppresses inter-object reflection over a wide angle, and provides particularly high reflectance in an intended range of viewing angle. The reflector includes a plurality of concave portions with an inclination angle (an angle between a plane tangential to a point on a concave surface and the surface of the base material) that is maximum on a side portion of the curved surface. The concave portions may also be formed such that an inner surface of each of the concave portions include a peripheral curved surface and a bottom curved surface are continuously connected to each other. The peripheral curved surface and the bottom curved surface are interposed partial spheres having different radii and non-collinear normal lines from the surface of each sphere.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsumasa Yoshii, Tatsuya Moriike, Kenji Omote, Mitsuru Kano
  • Patent number: 6269895
    Abstract: In a state a vehicle is stopped at an intersection, an infinitely variable transmission is in a neutral position, a motor/generator rotates with a low speed, an oil pump and an auxiliary equipment are in rotating state. At that time, an input clutch is disengaged, and the internal engine is stopped. When the vehicle is started, a continuously variable transmission performs continuous shift control from the neutral position using hydraulic pressure from an oil pump, and the rotation of the motor/generator is transmitted to drive wheels via a ring gear of a planetary gear. After the vehicle has started driving, the input clutch is engaged and the internal engine is started. The vehicle is driven while the motor/generator assists driving or the motor/generator charges batteries based on operation of the internal engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Aisin AW Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takao Tanuguchi, Shoichi Miyagawa, Kazumasa Tsukamoto, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Kenji Omote, Seiji Suzuki, Takeshi Hara
  • Patent number: 6258001
    Abstract: The present invention improves mountability of a drive train in a hybrid vehicle by minimizing axial and radial dimensions while providing for adequate output torque of the motor/generator of the drive train. A center portion of a front cover of a torque converter extends axially and a multiple disc lock-up clutch is arranged at the inner circumferential surface of the center portion while the motor/generator is arranged at the outer circumferential surface of the center portion. A spring damper is provided at the radially inner side of a circumferential surface defined by friction plates of the lock-up clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoru Wakuta, Keiichi Shinohara, Masahiro Hasebe, Shigeo Tsuzuki, Kenji Omote, Atsushi Tabata, Yutaka Taga, Seiji Nakamura, Masaya Amano
  • Patent number: 6229586
    Abstract: The present invention provides a reflection type liquid display device that does not cause defects such as a short circuit between a metallic reflection film and an electrode layer that are laminated on the substrate, a break in the electrode layer, and that can be easily manufactured because the alignment of elements is easily conducted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2001
    Assignee: Alp Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Date, Kenji Omote
  • Patent number: 6219120
    Abstract: A reflective type liquid crystal display of this invention comprises a reflector member having corrugated surface stored therein; an overcoat layer formed on the corrugated surface of the reflector member for making the corrugated surface flat; and a color filter layer formed on the overcoat layer, and wherein a thickness of the overcoat layer is more than twice of a depth of the concave part in the corrugated surface of the reflector member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yorihiko Sasaki, Mitsuru Kano, Kenji Omote, Yoshihiko Ishitaka, Mitsuo Ohizumi, Tomomasa Takatsuka
  • Patent number: 6193898
    Abstract: A plurality of reflectors respectively having the same rough reflecting surfaces are formed substantially simultaneously on a transparent substrate of a large area. A photosensitive resin film is formed on a surface of a transparent substrate. An embossing die having a rough working surface is pressed against a photosensitive resin part of the photosensitive resin film and the photosensitive resin part is irradiated with ultraviolet rays from below the transparent substrate to form a prehardened photosensitive resin part. Those steps are repeated to form a plurality of prehardened, embossed photosensitive resin parts on the transparent substrate, and then parts not prehardened of the photosensitive resin film are removed by etching. The prehardened, embossed photosensitive resin parts are heated for hardening, and a metal reflecting film is formed on the hardened embossed photosensitive resin parts to complete a plurality of reflectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2001
    Assignee: Alps Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuru Kano, Tomomasa Takatsuka, Kenji Omote