Patents by Inventor Kikuo Okamura

Kikuo Okamura 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: 11181178
    Abstract: A strain wave gear speed reducer unit includes: a casing extending in the axial direction; an internal gear disposed to be rotatable relative to the casing and having internal teeth on the inner circumference; a flexible external gear disposed to the inside of the internal gear in the radial direction, an end of which is fixed to the casing on one side in the axial direction, and which has external teeth on the outer circumference for meshing with the internal teeth; a cam disposed to the inside of the external gear in the radial direction and deforming the external gear in the radial direction by rotating together with a rotating shaft of a motor unit; a connecting part formed integrally with the cam and connected to the rotating shaft on the inside of the external gear; and a support connected to the casing and rotatably supporting the connecting part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo Okamura, Hitoshi Inoue
  • Patent number: 10862369
    Abstract: A power unit comprises: a wave gear speed reducer, a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction; a rotor unit that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft; a stator unit disposed facing the rotor unit; and a motor casing to which the stator unit is secured. The motor casing has a second cover that covers the rotor unit and the stator unit from the other side in the axial direction. The rotary shaft extends toward the other side in the axial direction, penetrates the second cover, and is connected to a cam. The second cover has a support part that extends toward the other side in the axial direction, supports the rotary shaft in a rotatable manner, and is positioned in a flexible cylindrical part of an external gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignees: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION, NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo Okamura, Takuro Yonemura, Hitoshi Inoue, Guo-Jhih Yan, Keng-Chang Wu, Hsiu-Ying Lin
  • Patent number: 10480626
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes an input rotor, an output rotor, a plurality of planetary rollers, a guide member, a movable ring, and an elastic member. The input rotor is arranged to rotate about a main axis at a rotation rate before a speed change. The output rotor is arranged to rotate about the main axis at a rotation rate resulting from the speed change. The planetary rollers are arranged around the main axis, and each planetary roller is capable of rotating about a rotation shaft. The guide member is arranged to restrict positions of both end portions of the rotation shaft. The movable ring is capable of rotating about the main axis between the main axis and the planetary rollers. The movable ring is annular, and is capable of moving in an axial direction. The elastic member is capable of expanding and contracting in the axial direction. Each planetary roller includes a first slanting surface, a second slanting surface, and an annular recessed portion or annular projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC SHIMPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo Okamura, Hitoshi Inoue, Norio Deguchi, Kyohei Haizumi
  • Publication number: 20190312485
    Abstract: A motor unit for a wave gear speed reducer is equipped with: a rotary shaft extending in the axial direction; a rotor unit that rotates integrally with the rotary shaft; a stator unit disposed facing the rotor unit; and a motor casing to which the stator unit is secured. The motor casing has a second cover that covers the rotor unit and the stator unit from the other side in the axial direction. The rotary shaft extends toward the other side in the axial direction, penetrates the second cover, and is connected to a cam. The second cover has a support part that extends toward the other side in the axial direction, supports the rotary shaft in a rotatable manner, and is positioned on the inside of an external gear when a wave gear speed reducer is attached to the motor casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 10, 2019
    Applicants: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION, Nidec Corporation
    Inventors: Kikuo OKAMURA, Takuro YONEMURA, Hitoshi INOUE, Guo-Jhih YAN, Keng-Chang WU, Hsiu-Ying LIN
  • Publication number: 20190226568
    Abstract: A strain wave gear speed reducer unit includes: a casing extending in the axial direction; an internal gear disposed to be rotatable relative to the casing and having internal teeth on the inner circumference; a flexible external gear disposed to the inside of the internal gear in the radial direction, an end of which is fixed to the casing on one side in the axial direction, and which has external teeth on the outer circumference for meshing with the internal teeth; an cam, disposed to the inside of the external gear in the radial direction and deforming the external gear in the radial direction by rotating together with a rotating shaft of a motor unit; a connecting part formed integrally with the cam 12a and connected to the rotating shaft on the inside of the external gear; and a support connected to the casing and rotatably supporting the connecting part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2017
    Publication date: July 25, 2019
    Applicant: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo OKAMURA, Hitoshi INOUE
  • Patent number: 10145455
    Abstract: A friction-type continuously variable transmission includes first to third rolling elements of which are annular and is centered on a principal axis, planetary rollers arranged in a circumferential direction about the principal axis, support pins arranged to rotatably support the planetary rollers, and a planetary roller support portion arranged to support each support pin such that the support pin is capable of inclining in a section including the principal axis. Each planetary roller includes a recessed portion in the shape of a circular ring in an outer circumference thereof centered on the support pin. The first rolling element is arranged to make contact with a rolling contact surface of the planetary roller from one side in a radial direction axially below the recessed portion. The first rolling element is arranged to make contact with the rolling contact surface of the planetary roller from the one side in the radial direction axially above the recessed portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: NIDEC SHIMPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kikuo Okamura, Hitoshi Inoue, Norio Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20180216715
    Abstract: A joint apparatus includes two electric motors. One of the electric motors includes a first hollow shaft arranged to extend in an axial direction of a first central axis; a first rotating portion arranged to rotate around the first hollow shaft; a speed reduction mechanism arranged to reduce a speed of a rotational motion obtained from the first rotating portion; a frame portion arranged to rotate about the first central axis at a rotation rate resulting from the speed reduction by the speed reduction mechanism; and a holder arranged radially outside of the first hollow shaft, and including a cylindrical portion arranged to extend radially outward. The other electric motor includes a second hollow shaft arranged to extend in an axial direction of a second central axis; a second rotating portion arranged to rotate around the second hollow shaft; and a frame portion arranged to rotate around the second hollow shaft along with rotation of the second rotating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Kikuo OKAMURA, Hitoshi INOUE
  • Publication number: 20180106348
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes an input rotor, an output rotor, a plurality of planetary rollers, a guide member, a movable ring, and an elastic member. The input rotor is arranged to rotate about a main axis at a rotation rate before a speed change. The output rotor is arranged to rotate about the main axis at a rotation rate resulting from the speed change. The planetary rollers are arranged around the main axis, and each planetary roller is capable of rotating about a rotation shaft. The guide member is arranged to restrict positions of both end portions of the rotation shaft. The movable ring is capable of rotating about the main axis between the main axis and the planetary rollers. The movable ring is annular, and is capable of moving in an axial direction. The elastic member is capable of expanding and contracting in the axial direction. Each planetary roller includes a first slanting surface, a second slanting surface, and an annular recessed portion or annular projecting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Inventors: Kikuo OKAMURA, Hitoshi INOUE, Norio DEGUCHI, Kyohei HAIZUMI
  • Publication number: 20170219069
    Abstract: A friction-type continuously variable transmission includes first to third rolling elements of which are annular and is centered on a principal axis, planetary rollers arranged in a circumferential direction about the principal axis, support pins arranged to rotatably support the planetary rollers, and a planetary roller support portion arranged to support each support pin such that the support pin is capable of inclining in a section including the principal axis. Each planetary roller includes a recessed portion in the shape of a circular ring in an outer circumference thereof centered on the support pin. The first rolling element is arranged to make contact with a rolling contact surface of the planetary roller from one side in a radial direction axially below the recessed portion. The first rolling element is arranged to make contact with the rolling contact surface of the planetary roller from the one side in the radial direction axially above the recessed portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Kikuo OKAMURA, Hitoshi INOUE, Norio DEGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20100099534
    Abstract: The present invention provides a transmission unit that can realize a high speed-shifting ratio, can realize reduced size, low cost and low noise, and is also capable of limiting slip loss. Outer peripheral surfaces of a small diameter rolling element and a supplementary rolling element are brought into contact with an outer peripheral surface of a large diameter rolling element. The supplementary rolling element is arranged at an almost opposite side to the small diameter rolling element, thus enclosing the large diameter rolling element between the small diameter rolling element and the supplementary rolling element. An inner peripheral surface of the pressure adjustment ring is brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the small diameter rolling element and the outer peripheral surface of the supplementary rolling element, and is supported by them.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2007
    Publication date: April 22, 2010
    Applicants: SHONAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY, CAMPUS CREATE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayoshi Muraki, Kikuo Okamura
  • Patent number: 4968290
    Abstract: A stepless speed change traction gear includes a plurality of conical rollers, each having a conical surface frictionally engaging with an internal surface of a speed changing ring, a flat surface perpendicular to the axis of the conical surface frictionally engaging a non-rotating track ring, and an annular concave surface coaxial with the conical surface and frictionally engaging a bearing ring. The speed changing ring is longitudinally adjustable between limits so that a speed ratio range from 0 to nearly 1.0 is developed. This traction gear is not provided any additional gearing or speed increasing device to widen the speed range. A clutch, brake, and operator can permit a direct drive condition between the input and output shafts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1989
    Date of Patent: November 6, 1990
    Assignee: Shinpo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadashi Kashihara, Kikuo Okamura, Yasushi Kitazaki
  • Patent number: 4751854
    Abstract: A type of a stepless speed change gear has a plurality of conical rollers each of which has a conical surface frictionally and internally engaging a ring-member moved axially by a speed changing device, a first annular surface frictionally engaging a disc of small diameter on an input shaft and a second annular surface frictionally engaging with a disc or large diameter arranged coaxially with the input shaft, and a contact pressure generating device of cam-type for generating contact pressures at three frictionally engaging points on each of the conical rollers. An assembly in which thrusting due to the friction-drive does not act onto the casing is provided. In the assembly, the disc of small diameter, the disc of large diameter and the contact pressure generating device are supported by a single shaft prohibiting running-out of them in axial direction. In addition, the conical rollers are bundled by the ring-member so that they will not drop out of the assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1986
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1988
    Assignee: Shinpo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jiro Sakai, Yoshihisa Iida, Kikuo Okamura
  • Patent number: 4232561
    Abstract: A stepless speed change gear has an axially movable speed changing ring that is frictionally engaged with a plurality of conical rollers. The stepless gear has improved durability and reduced weight due to a flat annular power transmitting surface and an annular power transmitting surface of arcuate cross-sectional contour on the bottom portion of each conical roller. A force caused by a contact pressure generating device is applied to the conical rollers at the annular power transmitting surface of arcuate cross-sectional contour, so as to advance the conical rollers into a space between the speed changing ring and another frictionally engaging member as a wedge so that required contact pressures are applied on the frictionally engaging points.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 1978
    Date of Patent: November 11, 1980
    Assignee: Shinpo Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Manabu Kashihara, Kikuo Okamura, Yoshikata Muguruma, Shizuo Yamano, Shigeo Mizusawa