Patents by Inventor Kihoko Kaita
Kihoko Kaita 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: 7992671Abstract: A weight balance of a vehicle body is provided in an all terrain vehicle wherein an engine is supported by a vehicle body frame and an electric power steering device having an actuator unit is provided on a steering shaft. An electric motor is provided in the actuator unit, and heavy objects including a battery and a muffler are disposed on an opposite side to the electric motor in a vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle body centerline extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and on an opposite side to the electric motor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with respect to the engine. To shorten and reduce weight the steering shaft is supported on a vehicle body frame through a radial bearing and ball bearings. Of the plurality of bearings, at least one of the bearings is made self-aligning.Type: GrantFiled: February 1, 2010Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7967102Abstract: A steering shaft support structure for an all terrain vehicle in which both forces of push and pull applied to an EPS unit are reduced when a load is applied to handlebars. The structure includes a steering shaft rotatably supported by a body frame and handlebars attached to the steering shaft. The EPS unit is also supported by the body frame. Two sets of adjustable joints are interposed between the steering shaft and the EPS unit in such a manner that their axes are shiftable. With this, if a load is applied to the handlebars, the adjustable joint associated with the steering shaft follows the inclination of the steering shaft, so that the connection point (swing point) of the adjustable joint associated with the EPS unit does not shift. This reduces both forces of push and pull applied to the EPS unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 27, 2006Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., LtdInventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita
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Publication number: 20110062748Abstract: Provide a door device of a small-sized vehicle that can secure space for occupants. An openable door 70 is provided to a side of a vehicle body to cover an opening and a convex portion 75 that gets on a footboard 62 when the door 70 is closed is provided to an inside lower part of the door 70.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 17, 2009Publication date: March 17, 2011Applicant: HONDA MOTOR., LTD.Inventors: Kihoko Kaita, Masahiro Inoue, Yukinori Kawaguchi, Yoshiyuki Sato, Kazunori Kuroda
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Publication number: 20110049946Abstract: A backrest structure for a motorcycle that is structured to be simply movable, yet made inoperative at all times except when an occupant intends to move the backrest. A backrest is disposed on a seat rail and includes operation levers for raising and lowering the backrest. The operation levers are disposed in the seat rail disposed downwardly of an occupant's seat.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 25, 2010Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Kihoko KAITA, Yoshiteru KINOSHITA
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Publication number: 20110030280Abstract: A door device of a small-sized vehicle, that enables easily interlocking a door lock and a lever is provided. An openable door 70 is provided to a side of a body, a lever 92 provided inside the door 70 for opening the door 70 is swingably provided, and a rotational central axis of a lever supporting shaft 120 turned by a swing of the lever 92 and a rotational central axis of a latch for a door lock (a lever member 144) driven by a turn of the supporting shaft 120 are made the same.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2009Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTDInventors: Kihoko Kaita, Kosaku Takahashi, Yoshiyuki Sato, Kazunori Kuroda, Masahiro Inoue, Yukinori Kawaguchi
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Patent number: 7878293Abstract: To make an electrically-operated power steering unit less susceptible to influence of change in a positional relationship between supporting sections respectively at the two ends of the electrically-operated power steering unit. A gear case included in a electrically-operated power steering unit is attached to the lower section of a vehicle body frame, and the lower end portion of a steering shaft is rotatably supported by a housing annexed to the gear case with an upper bearing interposed in between, in a vehicle in which an input shaft provided to the electrically-operated power steering unit is linked to the lower end portion of the steering shaft, and in which an output shaft provided to the electrically-operated power steering unit is rotatably supported by the lower section of a vehicle body.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita, Hiroaki Tomita
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Publication number: 20100133036Abstract: A weight balance of a vehicle body is provided in an all terrain vehicle wherein an engine is supported by a vehicle body frame and an electric power steering device having an actuator unit is provided on a steering shaft. An electric motor is provided in the actuator unit, and heavy objects including a battery and a muffler are disposed on an opposite side to the electric motor in a vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle body centerline extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and on an opposite side to the electric motor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with respect to the engine. To shorten and reduce weight the steering shaft is supported on a vehicle body frame through a radial bearing and ball bearings. Of the plurality of bearings, at least one of the bearings is made self-aligning.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 1, 2010Publication date: June 3, 2010Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7665570Abstract: A weight balance of a vehicle body is provided in an all terrain vehicle wherein an engine is supported by a vehicle body frame and an electric power steering device having an actuator unit is provided on a steering shaft. An electric motor is provided in the actuator unit, and heavy objects including a battery and a muffler are disposed on an opposite side to the electric motor in a vehicle width direction with respect to a vehicle body centerline extending in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle and on an opposite side to the electric motor in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle with respect to the engine. To shorten and reduce weight the steering shaft is supported on a vehicle body frame through a radial bearing and ball bearings. Of the plurality of bearings, at least one of the bearings is made self-aligning.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2006Date of Patent: February 23, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7641022Abstract: To provide a motor-driven power steering unit support structure that can absorb mounting errors of a steering shaft. A vehicle includes a steering shaft rotatably supported on a vehicle body frame. A steering bar handle is attached to the upper end of the steering shaft. A motor-driven power steering unit is mounted onto the lower end of the steering shaft, and the vehicle includes at least two front wheels. The motor-driven power steering unit is supported on the vehicle body frame from the vehicle width direction. A front support member and a rear support member for supporting the motor-driven power steering unit are provided in the vehicle body frame on the front and rear sides, with the steering shaft therebetween.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: January 5, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7604084Abstract: To provide a layout structure for a motor-driven power steering unit controller configured to take into account the water level at which submergence of the vehicle is expected to occur. In a vehicle including a steering shaft rotatably supported on a vehicle body frame, a steering bar handle attached to the upper end of the steering shaft, a motor-driven power steering unit mounted onto the lower end of the steering shaft, and at least two front wheels, a controller for controlling the motor-driven power steering unit is laid out on the front side relative to the steering shaft and above a horizontal line indicative of the submergence limit of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2006Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita, Tomokazu Sakamoto
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Patent number: 7600603Abstract: A structure for attaching an electrically-operated power steering apparatus for a vehicle. The structure includes a body frame, more specifically, sub slant frames having respective motor brackets for supporting an actuator unit. The motor brackets have bolts that fasten the actuator unit, and the bolts extend perpendicularly to a steering shaft. With this configuration, the structure is not affected by a manufacturing error of a body frame and other parts of the vehicle. Further, the structure takes account of a direction in which fastening means is tightened.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2006Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Kihoko Kaita
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Publication number: 20090243339Abstract: A vehicle includes a roll cage and a net structure. The roll cage at least partially defines a protected area and additionally at least partially defines an access opening configured to facilitate passage of an operator through the access opening and into the protected area. A net structure is attached to the roll cage and is configured to selectively block at least a portion of the access opening. Net structures and methods are also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: Bill E. Orr, Kihoko Kaita, Kosaku Takahashi, Masahiro Inoue, Kevin L. Aschenbach, Takashi Mishima, Terry L. Gasparovic, Hendrik J. Zwart, Jeffrey K. Kuida
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Patent number: 7565945Abstract: To constrain a load applied to a steering shaft and a power assist unit. In a rough terrain vehicle including a power assist unit including an electrically-driven power steering apparatus provided coaxially with a steering shaft, and an electrically-driven motor provided in the power assist unit arranged so as to be orthogonal to the steering shaft, a rear end portion of the electrically-driven motor is supported by a motor supporting member which is mounted to inclined frames of a vehicle body frame.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7565944Abstract: To provide a power steering system for an all-terrain vehicle in which a control unit can be favorably protected from water, mud or the like coming from the ground surface at the time of operating of the vehicle on rough terrain or the like. In a power steering system for a saddle ride type four-wheel vehicle in which a rotary shaft of a power assist motor is disposed at right angles to a steering shaft and is inclined so that its upper portion is located on the rear side, a control unit for controlling the power assist motor is disposed on the upper side relative to a meshed portion between the power assist motor and the steering shaft.Type: GrantFiled: February 24, 2006Date of Patent: July 28, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Tomokazu Sakamoto, Sumitaka Ogawa, Kihoko Kaita
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Patent number: 7464789Abstract: A high-performance exhaust silencer in which a shell wall includes a shell outer plate, a shell inner plate, and a damping material to be inserted therebetween. A space between the shell outer plate and shell inner plate of the exhaust silencer is narrowed and the shell outer plate and the shell inner plate will not interfere with each other. An outer shape of the exhaust silencer is small but the expansion chambers are large by providing an air space between the shell outer plate and the shell inner plate. For the above-mentioned damping material, a material obtained by stretchably weaving metal wire into mesh is used.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2004Date of Patent: December 16, 2008Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kazuo Yamamoto, Kihoko Kaita, Kazuhiro Yasuda, Hiroaki Koishi
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Publication number: 20080257630Abstract: An engine arrangement structure of a saddle-ride type vehicle includes an engine having a crankcase and a cylinder part overhung upwardly from the crankcase. An alternating current generator is provided at one end of the crankshaft with a power transmission system member being provided at the other end thereof. The alternating current generator and the power transmission system member are overhung ahead of and behind the engine relative to the engine cylinder part, respectively. A width by which the power transmission system member is overhung is larger than that by which the alternating current generator is overhung. The alternating current generator of the engine is arranged so as to be directed to the front side of the vehicle body and the power transmission system member is arranged so as to be directed to the rear side of the vehicle body.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 28, 2007Publication date: October 23, 2008Inventors: Masao Takeshima, Hitoshi Furuhashi, Kihoko Kaita
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Publication number: 20080099263Abstract: An air cleaner is disposed on an upper side of an engine. The air cleaner and an intake port of the engine can be easily connected without enlarging the interval between a left-right pair of frames. A saddle ride type vehicle includes a longitudinally laid crankshaft type engine having a crankcase, a cylinder and a cylinder head. A left-right pair of frames support the engine. An air cleaner is disposed on the upper side relative to the engine with the frames therebetween. The air cleaner takes air in through an intake duct connected to the engine through a throttle body provided in a case. The engine is disposed so that the cylinder is inclined to one side and the one side of the cylinder head is disposed near one of the frames. The throttle body is disposed between the other frame and the other side of the cylinder head.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: May 1, 2008Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Masao TAKESHIMA, Kihoko KAITA
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Publication number: 20080098701Abstract: The present invention relates to an air cleaner element holding structure for an air cleaner device for use in filtering intake air for an engine. The air cleaner device includes an air cleaner element and an element holder, provided in an air cleaner case. The air cleaner element includes at least a pair of element support plates and the element holder includes at least a pair of circular plates. The air cleaner case includes an intake duct facing an inner circumferential side of the air cleaner element for conducting air thereto. Each of the support plates has an outer diameter that is larger than that of the air cleaner element. The element support plates support the air cleaner element in such a manner that both ends, in the axial direction, of the element holder contact an inside surface, in the axial direction, of the element support plates.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2007Publication date: May 1, 2008Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Masao Takeshima, Kihoko Kaita
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Publication number: 20070096449Abstract: A steering shaft support structure for an all terrain vehicle in which both forces of push and pull applied to an EPS unit are reduced when a load is applied to handlebars. The structure includes a steering shaft rotatably supported by a body frame and handlebars attached to the steering shaft. The EPS unit is also supported by the body frame. Two sets of adjustable joints are interposed between the steering shaft and the EPS unit in such a manner that their axes are shiftable. With this, if a load is applied to the handlebars, the adjustable joint associated with the steering shaft follows the inclination of the steering shaft, so that the connection point (swing point) of the adjustable joint associated with the EPS unit does not shift. This reduces both forces of push and pull applied to the EPS unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2006Publication date: May 3, 2007Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita
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Publication number: 20070095601Abstract: To provide a motor-driven power steering unit support structure that can absorb mounting errors of a steering shaft. A vehicle includes a steering shaft rotatably supported on a vehicle body frame. A steering bar handle is attached to the upper end of the steering shaft. A motor-driven power steering unit is mounted onto the lower end of the steering shaft, and the vehicle includes at least two front wheels. The motor-driven power steering unit is supported on the vehicle body frame from the vehicle width direction. A front support member and a rear support member for supporting the motor-driven power steering unit are provided in the vehicle body frame on the front and rear sides, with the steering shaft therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2006Publication date: May 3, 2007Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Megumu Okada, Keita Yagi, Yotaro Mori, Takeshi Wakabayashi, Kihoko Kaita