Patents by Inventor Kentarou Nishikawa
Kentarou Nishikawa 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).
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Patent number: 7882752Abstract: The wheel support bearing assembly is for rotatably supporting a vehicle wheel relative to an automotive vehicle body, which includes an outer member having an inner periphery formed with a plurality of rows of raceway surfaces, an inner member having raceway surfaces formed therein in face-to-face relation with the raceway surfaces in the outer member, and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those raceway surfaces, respectively; a sensor unit including a sensor mounting member and a strain sensor fitted to the sensor mounting member, the sensor unit being fitted to a stationary member, which is one of the outer member and the inner member; and wherein the sensor mounting member includes at least two contact fixing portion relative to the stationary member and the strain sensor is arranged at at least one location between the contact fixing portions.Type: GrantFiled: December 1, 2006Date of Patent: February 8, 2011Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Patent number: 7878713Abstract: A sensor-incorporated wheel support bearing assembly, enabling a load sensor to be compactly installed on the vehicle and capable of detecting a load on a wheel with good sensitivity includes a ring member, affixed to a stationary member, which has at an intermediate portion thereof a first non-contact ring portion not in contact with the stationary member, at one end a first contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member, and at the other end the following (A) or (B): (A) a second non-contact ring portion having a wall thickness greater than that of the first non-contact ring portion; (B) a second contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member. A strain sensor is fitted to; in (A), the first non-contact ring portion, and in (B), the first non-contact ring portion or first contact ring portion, which has smaller wall thickness.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Patent number: 7856893Abstract: To provide a sensor incorporated wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load sensor can be compactly installed in an automotive vehicle, the load acting on the vehicle wheel can be detected with high sensitivity and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the bearing assembly having a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between an outer member and an inner member includes a sensor unit fitted to one of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member. The sensor unit includes a sensor mounting member and a strain sensor fitted thereto. The sensor mounting member has two contact fixing portions fixed to the outer member and a first contact fixing portion is fixed to a flange surface of the outer member and a second contact fixing portion is fixed to a peripheral surface of the outer member.Type: GrantFiled: March 7, 2007Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa, Toru Takahashi, Yujiro Ono, Takayuki Norimatsu
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Publication number: 20100303394Abstract: A sensor-equipped wheel support bearing assembly capable of accurately detecting load acting on the vehicle wheel by reducing concentration of strain on a cutout portion corner area of a strain generating member in a sensor unit is provided. The wheel support bearing assembly having rolling elements interposed between rolling surfaces in outer and inner members, includes at least one sensor unit provided in a stationary member, which is one of the outer and inner members. The sensor unit includes a strain generating member, having two or more contact fixing segments secured to the stationary member in contact therewith, and a sensor fitted to the strain generating member for detecting a strain in the strain generating member. The strain generating member has a cutout portion between the contact fixing segments, and corner area of such cutout portion is of an arcuately sectioned shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2008Publication date: December 2, 2010Inventors: Hiroshi Isobe, Kentarou Nishikawa, Toru Takahashi
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Patent number: 7819026Abstract: A sensor-equipped wheel support bearing assembly, enabling the cost during the mass production to be reduced, includes an outer member, an inner member, a plurality of rolling elements interposed between the opposed raceway surfaces. One of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member, is fitted with a sensor mounting member provided with a strain sensor. The sensor mounting member is further provided with a status detecting sensor to detect different status other than a strain.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2006Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Patent number: 7780358Abstract: A sensor-incorporated wheel support bearing assembly (18) includes an outer member (1) having an inner peripheral surface formed with double rows of raceway surfaces (4), an inner member (2) having an outer peripheral surface formed with raceway surfaces (5) opposed to the raceway surfaces (4) in the outer member (1), and double rows of rolling elements (3) interposed between the raceway surfaces (4) and (5) in the outer and inner members (1) and (2). Rings (9A) and (9B) each having an outer peripheral surface tapered is secured to the inner member (2). A displacement sensor (10) confronting the tapered outer peripheral surfaces of the rings (9A) and (9B) is mounted on the outer member (11) or a member (17) rigidly secured to the outer member (1) for measuring the distance between such displacement sensor (10) and the rings (9A) and (9B).Type: GrantFiled: March 1, 2006Date of Patent: August 24, 2010Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Patent number: 7762128Abstract: In a wheel support bearing assembly including a plurality of rolling elements (5) interposed between an outer member (1) and an inner member (2), a sensor unit (21) is fitted to one of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member. The sensor unit includes a sensor mounting member (22) and a strain sensor (23) fitted to the sensor mounting member. The sensor mounting member has a plurality of contact fixing portions (22a, 22b) that are fixed to at least two locations spaced a distant from each other in a direction circumferentially of the outer member. A cutout (24) is provided in the outer member at respective positions corresponding to the neighboring contact fixing portions of the sensor mounting member, so as to extend in an axial direction. The strain sensor is arranged intermediate between the neighboring contact fixing portions.Type: GrantFiled: March 8, 2007Date of Patent: July 27, 2010Assignee: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20100135604Abstract: A sensor-equipped bearing for a wheel rotatably supporting the wheel relative to a vehicle body includes an outer member (1) provided with a double-row raceway surface (3) on an inner periphery thereof, an inner member (2) provided with raceway surfaces (4) opposing to the raceway surfaces (3) of the outer member (1), one of the outer and inner members serving as a stationary member, double-row rolling elements (5) interposed between the outer and inner raceway surfaces, a sensor fitting member (22) fixed to a peripheral surface of the stationary member, and a plurality of strain sensors (23) attached to the sensor fitting member (22) for measuring a strain thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2006Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20100102801Abstract: A rotation detecting sensor, having excellent sealing capability to prevent water ingress from outside, being so robust that no damage occur in sensor component parts and circuits due to external force and/or thermal strains resulting from self-heating or change in ambient temperature, and inexpensive to manufacture, is provided. The rotation detecting sensor is fixed to a sensor fixing member to be fitted to a wheel support bearing assembly. A sensor unit, including a magnetic sensor element, a cable and a substrate, is fixed to the sensor fixing member through the substrate. A molding segment molded of a molding material bonded with the substrate is provided around the sensor unit. The substrate has a metallic pattern portion formed as a metallic coating on a substrate surface in the vicinity of an electroconductive pattern portion and the molding material is bonded to the metallic pattern portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 17, 2008Publication date: April 29, 2010Applicant: NTN CorporationInventors: Toru Takahashi, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20100046871Abstract: To provide a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load sensor can be installed compactly in an automotive vehicle, maintaining a high sensitivity while damage and/or malfunction caused by the external environments and/or the electromagnetic noises are avoided, with low manufacturing cost. This bearing assembly includes outer and inner members having respective rolling surfaces and a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between those rolling surfaces. A strain sensor unit including a sensor element is fitted to one of the outer and inner members, which is a stationary member, for example, the outer member. A sensor mounting surface of the strain sensor unit fitted with the sensor element has a covering member made of a resin, which is over-molded, or an elastomer bonded by vulcanization, so as to cover the sensor element sealingly.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 25, 2008Publication date: February 25, 2010Applicant: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Takayuki Norimatsu, Toru Takahashi, Kazuo Komori, Kazuhiro Baba, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20100013463Abstract: A rotation detecting sensor (A) is fixed to a sensor fixing member (7), through which it is fitted to a wheel support bearing assembly for detecting the rotation of a rotatable ring of the wheel support bearing assembly. A sensor unit (B) is made up of a sensor element (1) of a magnetic type for detecting an annular to-be-detected element of a rotatable ring, a cable (10) for feeding an output signal of the sensor element (1) to an outside, and a substrate (11) having an electroconductive segment (3) for electrically connecting an electrode (2) of the sensor element (1) with a core line (4) of the cable (10). This sensor unit (B) is fixed to the sensor fixing member (7) by means of the substrate (11). A molding portion (8) is provided around the sensor unit (B) and molded with a thermoplastic elastomer or a rubber material.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Toru Takahashi, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20100014087Abstract: A lubricant deterioration detecting device includes an arcuate optical fiber (4) having one end positioned in face-to-face relation with a light emitting element and also having the opposite end positioned in face-to-face relation with a light receiving element, and a measuring gap (7) for intervening a lubricating agent (5) is provided in a portion of the arcuate optical fiber (4). In the vicinity of the measuring gap (7), a resistance element (15), the amount of deformation of which varies with change in state of lubrication performed with the lubricating agent, is provided for flowing of the lubricating agent (5) within the measuring gap (7).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 24, 2009Publication date: January 21, 2010Applicant: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Toru Takahashi, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090301222Abstract: There is provided a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly with rolling elements interposed between outer and inner members and with a strain sensor fixed to a stationary member served by one of the outer and inner members. The strain sensor includes a strain generating member and a sensor element secured thereto. The strain generating member has first and second contact fixing segments respectively associated with a flanged face provided in the outer member and a peripheral surface of the stationary member. These contact fixing segments have a joint region therebetween having a bent portion convexed toward the outer member. A location in the strain generating member where the sensor element is secured is on the first contact fixing segment side of the bent portion and yet in the vicinity of the bent portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2008Publication date: December 10, 2009Inventors: Toru Takahashi, Kentarou Nishikawa, Takayuki Norimatsu, Yujiro Ono
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Publication number: 20090199660Abstract: To provide a sensor incorporated wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load sensor can be compactly installed in an automotive vehicle, the load acting on the vehicle wheel can be detected with high sensitivity and the manufacturing cost can be reduced, the bearing assembly having a plurality of rows of rolling elements interposed between an outer member and an inner member includes a sensor unit fitted to one of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member. The sensor unit includes a sensor mounting member and a strain sensor fitted thereto. The sensor mounting member has two contact fixing portions fixed to the outer member and a first contact fixing portion is fixed to a flange surface of the outer member and a second contact fixing portion is fixed to a peripheral surface of the outer member.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2007Publication date: August 13, 2009Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa, Toru Takahashi, Yujiro Ono, Takayuki Norimatsu
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Publication number: 20090175568Abstract: To provide a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which a load sensor can be snugly and neatly installed in automotive vehicle and which detects the load or the like acting on a vehicle wheel and requires an inexpensive cost in mass production. A sensor unit is fitted to an outer member as a stationary member of the bearing assembly. The sensor unit includes a sensor mounting member having bolt insertion holes alignable with vehicle body fitting holes of the outer member, and a strain sensor fitted to the sensor mounting member. This sensor unit is sandwiched between the outer member and a knuckle and is fitted by means of bolts inserted through the vehicle body fitting holes and the bolt insertion holes. The sensor unit has a portion that is greater in a radial direction than a flange of the outer member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2007Publication date: July 9, 2009Applicant: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090129712Abstract: A sensor-incorporated wheel support bearing assembly, enabling a load sensor to be compactly installed on the vehicle and capable of detecting a load on a wheel with good sensitivity includes a ring member, affixed to a stationary member, which has at an intermediate portion thereof a first non-contact ring portion not in contact with the stationary member, at one end a first contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member, and at the other end the following (A) or (B): (A) a second non-contact ring portion having a wall thickness greater than that of the first non-contact ring portion; (B) a second contact ring portion in contact with the stationary member. A strain sensor is fitted to; in (A), the first non-contact ring portion, and in (B), the first non-contact ring portion or first contact ring portion, which has smaller wall thickness.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2006Publication date: May 21, 2009Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090120184Abstract: A sensor-equipped wheel support bearing assembly, enabling the cost during the mass production to be reduced, includes an outer member (1), an inner member (2), a plurality of rolling elements (3) interposed between the opposed raceway surfaces. One of the outer member (1) and the inner member (2), which serves as a stationary member, is fitted with a sensor mounting member (22) provided with a strain sensor (23). The sensor mounting member (22) is further provided with a status detecting sensor (24) for detecting different status other than a strain.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2006Publication date: May 14, 2009Applicant: NTN CorporationInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090114004Abstract: In a wheel support bearing assembly including a plurality of rolling elements (5) interposed between an outer member (1) and an inner member (2), a sensor unit (21) is fitted to one of the outer member and the inner member, which serves as a stationary member. The sensor unit includes a sensor mounting member (22) and a strain sensor (23) fitted to the sensor mounting member. The sensor mounting member has a plurality of contact fixing portions (22a, 22b) that are fixed to at least two locations spaced a distant from each other in a direction circumferentially of the outer member. A cutout (24) is provided in the outer member at respective positions corresponding to the neighboring contact fixing portions of the sensor mounting member, so as to extend in an axial direction. The strain sensor is arranged intermediate between the neighboring contact fixing portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2007Publication date: May 7, 2009Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090097791Abstract: To provide a sensor equipped wheel support bearing assembly, in which the sensor for detecting the load can be snugly and neatly installed in an automotive vehicle, the load acting on the vehicle wheel can be detected with high sensitivity and the cost of manufacture can be reduced during a mass production. The sensor unit 21 is mounted on an outer member 1, which is a stationary member of the wheel support bearing assembly. The sensor unit 21 includes a sensor mounting member 22 and at least one or more strain sensors 23 fitted to the sensor mounting member 22. The outer member 1 includes a knuckle contact portion contactable with a knuckle 16 and is provided with a cutout portion 17 defined in a portion of the knuckle contact portion 1a.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 11, 2007Publication date: April 16, 2009Applicant: NTN CORPORATIONInventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa
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Publication number: 20090080822Abstract: In a wheel support bearing assembly having rows of rolling elements (3) interposed between an outer member (1) and an inner member (2), spacers (27) are interposed between vehicle body fitting holes (9) in the outer member (1), which is a stationary member, and a knuckle (25). A sensor unit (16) including a sensor mounting member (17) and a strain sensor (18) is fitted to the outer member (1). The sensor mounting member (17) has at least two contact fixing portions (17a, 17b) fixed to the outer member (1) and, also, has at least one recess (17c) between the neighboring contact fixing portions (17a, 17b), the strain sensor (18) being disposed in this recess (17c).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2006Publication date: March 26, 2009Inventors: Takayoshi Ozaki, Tomomi Ishikawa, Kentarou Nishikawa