Patents by Inventor Kimitaka Saruwatari

Kimitaka Saruwatari 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).

  • Publication number: 20240116615
    Abstract: A marine propulsion device that reduces white smoke generated during starting includes an engine, a crankshaft, a tilt angle sensor, and an ECU. The engine includes a cylinder, a piston inside the cylinder, and a connecting rod connected to the piston. The crankshaft is connected to the connecting rod. The tilt angle sensor is operable to detect a tilt state of the cylinder such that a first side portion thereof located on an opposite side from the crankshaft is lower than a second side portion thereof located on a same side as the crankshaft. The ECU is configured or programmed to execute a cranking control of a prolonged cranking time based on the tilt state of the cylinder and a stopped time of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Hiroshi SUZUKI, Masaya OISHI
  • Publication number: 20240116618
    Abstract: A marine propulsion device includes a first gear, a second gear, a third gear, a circulator, a case, and an attachment body. The second gear is meshed with the first gear. The third gear is meshed with the first gear, and the third gear is coaxial with the second gear and opposed to the second gear. The circulator is between the second gear and the third gear. The case includes an internal space in which the first gear, the second gear, the third gear, and the circulator are located. The case includes an attachment hole to which the circulator is attached. The attachment body is inserted into the attachment hole so as to attach the circulator to the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: April 11, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Akihiro NOMA, Masanari MORI, Yushi FUJITA, Hiroaki KAGEYAMA, Shinobu MUROUCHI
  • Publication number: 20240101238
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a first housing, a second housing, and a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism is operable to steer the second housing around a steering axis. The steering mechanism includes a pinion gear, a first rack, and a second rack. The pinion gear is connected to the first housing or the second housing. The first rack includes first teeth and a first relief portion. The first teeth mesh with the pinion gear and are arranged side by side with each other in a first direction. The first relief portion does not mesh with the pinion gear and allows the pinion gear to idle. The first rack is movable in the first direction. The second rack includes second teeth. The second teeth mesh with the pinion gear and are arranged side by side with each other in a second direction. The second rack is movable in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI, Yu WAKAMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240101239
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a first housing, a second housing, a propeller shaft, and a steering mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a first pinion gear, a second pinion gear, a first rack, and a second rack. The first pinion gear is connected to the first housing or the second housing. The second pinion gear is connected to the first pinion gear. The first rack includes first teeth. The first teeth mesh with the first pinion gear and are arranged side by side with each other in a first direction. The first rack is movable in the first direction. The second rack includes second teeth. The second teeth mesh with the second pinion gear and are arranged side by side with each other in a second direction. The second teeth have a smaller module than the plurality of first teeth. The second rack is movable in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI, Yu WAKAMIZU
  • Publication number: 20240067318
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a lower portion including a propeller shaft, an upper portion including a drive source to provide a rotational force to rotate the propeller shaft, and a support portion to rotatably support the lower portion relative to the upper portion about a steering shaft and rotate integrally with the lower portion. The upper portion includes a water pump assembly to suck up water from the lower portion through the support portion and supply the water to the drive source. When viewed along a shaft line direction of the steering shaft, the water pump assembly overlaps the lower portion at a first rotation position of the lower portion with respect to the upper portion, and at least a portion of the water pump assembly does not overlap the lower portion at a second rotation position of the lower portion with respect to the upper portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Yu WAKAMIZU, Yoshihiko OKABE, Hiroki KOGA
  • Publication number: 20240067319
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a lower portion including a propeller shaft, an upper portion including a drive source to provide a rotational force to rotate the propeller shaft, a support portion to rotatably support the lower portion relative to the upper portion about a steering shaft and rotate integrally with the lower portion, a water pump assembly in the upper portion to supply water to the drive source, and a water inlet including a first filter in the lower portion to take in external water. A water channel extends from the water inlet to the water pump assembly, and a seal is between a fixed portion fixed with respect to the upper portion and the support portion. A second filter, which has a mesh size smaller than a mesh size of the first filter, is in the water channel upstream of the seal and downstream of the water inlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2023
    Publication date: February 29, 2024
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Yu WAKAMIZU
  • Publication number: 20230415876
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine, a propeller shaft, a propeller attached to the propeller shaft, a transmission to transmit rotation of the engine to the propeller shaft, an upper accommodation body accommodating a portion of the engine, a lower accommodation body accommodating a portion of the propeller shaft, and a steering to cause the lower accommodation body to rotate about a steering axis with respect to the upper accommodation body. The upper accommodation body includes an upper exhaust channel including an upper exhaust port that communicates with the engine. The lower accommodation body includes a lower exhaust channel including a lower exhaust port. The upper exhaust channel and the lower exhaust channel are switchable between a communication state of communicating with each other and a non-communication state of not communicating with each other based on a rudder angle of the steering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Yu WAKAMIZU, Daisuke KOYAMA, Masashi HIROTA, Takuma ISHIDA
  • Publication number: 20230415874
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine, a propeller shaft, a propeller attached to the propeller shaft, a transmission to transmit rotation of the engine to the propeller shaft, an upper accommodation body accommodating at least a portion of the engine, a lower accommodation body accommodating at least a portion of the propeller shaft, and a steering to cause the lower accommodation body to rotate about a steering axis with respect to the upper accommodation body. The upper accommodation body includes an upper coolant channel. The lower accommodation body includes a lower coolant channel including a coolant intake port. A communication area between the upper and lower coolant channels is changeable according to a rudder angle of the steering.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Yu WAKAMIZU
  • Publication number: 20230415875
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a steering mechanism switchable between a state in which a pinion is rotated by a first drive source such that an outboard motor body is steerable within a first steering angle range, and a state in which the pinion is rotated by a second drive source such that the outboard motor body is steerable within a second steering angle range different from the first steering angle range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI
  • Publication number: 20230348035
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an upper case, a lower case, a transmission, a clutch, a cooling water passage, a first pump, and a second pump. The transmission is operable to transmit the driving force of the engine. The clutch is connected to the transmission. The cooling water passage is connected to the engine. The cooling water passage is located in the upper case and the lower case. The first pump is connected to the transmission via the clutch. The first pump is driven by the driving force of the engine to send cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage. The second pump is connected to the transmission. The second pump is driven by the driving force of the engine to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Junya ONOUE, Hiroki Koga, Yoshiyuki Kadobayashi, Kimitaka Saruwatari, Akihiro Noma
  • Publication number: 20230349314
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a bracket, an upper case, a lower case, a drive shaft, a propeller shaft, a cooling water passage, a water pump, and an electric motor. The outboard motor is attached to a watercraft via the bracket. The upper case is below the engine. The lower case is below the upper case. The drive shaft is in the upper case and the lower case. The propeller shaft is connected to the drive shaft. The propeller shaft is in the lower case. The cooling water passage is connected to the engine. The cooling water passage is in the upper case and the lower case. The water pump is below a lower end of the bracket to deliver cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage. The electric motor is operable to drive the water pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: November 2, 2023
    Inventors: Junya ONOUE, Hiroki KOGA, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Akihiro NOMA
  • Publication number: 20230313729
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a bracket, an engine, an upper case, a lower case, a cavitation plate, a transmission, a cooling water passage, a first pump, and a second pump. The transmission includes a drive shaft and a propeller shaft. The cooling water passage is connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case. The first pump is below a lower end of the bracket. The first pump is connected to the transmission and operable to send cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage. The first pump is a non-positive displacement pump. The second pump is driven by a driving force from the transmission and operable to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Junya ONOUE, Hiroki KOGA, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Akihiro NOMA
  • Publication number: 20230312073
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes an engine, an upper case, a lower case, a cavitation plate, a transmission, a cooling water passage, a first pump, and a second pump. The transmission includes a drive shaft and a propeller shaft. The cooling water passage is connected to the engine and located in the upper case and the lower case. The first pump is above the cavitation plate. The first pump is connected to the drive shaft and operable to send cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage. The second pump is drivable by the driving force from the transmission to send the cooling water to the engine through the cooling water passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Hiroki KOGA, Yoshiyuki KADOBAYASHI, Akihiro NOMA, Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Junya ONOUE
  • Patent number: 11767094
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a propeller shaft, a lower case, an upper case, and a splash guard. The lower case houses the propeller shaft. The upper case is located above the lower case. The splash guard includes an upper plate that projects forward from the upper case. The splash guard is separate from the upper case and is attached to the upper case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kimitaka Saruwatari
  • Publication number: 20230278689
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a tilt shaft, an engine assembly, and a cowl. The tilt shaft defines a horizontal tilt axis during a tilting action of the outboard motor. At least a portion of the engine assembly is above the tilt axis in a tilt-down state of the outboard motor. The cowl accommodates at least a portion of the engine assembly. The tilt shaft includes a first shaft and a second shaft which are spaced apart and coaxial with each other. A portion of the cowl is between the first shaft and the second shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2022
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI
  • Publication number: 20230219671
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a steering mechanism including a pinion located in a central portion of an outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body, and a rack operable to linearly move to rotate the pinion, and extending along a forward-rearward direction of the outboard motor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2022
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI, Takuma MATSUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20230219672
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a steering mechanism including a pinion located in a central portion of an outboard motor body in a right-left direction and operable to rotate together with the outboard motor body, a rack operable to linearly move to rotate the pinion, and a rack position detector on a first side of the rack opposite to the pinion to detect a position of the rack.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Tomohiro HAGI
  • Patent number: 11673642
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a first exhaust passage connected to an exhaust port and extending downward from the exhaust port through a support frame on a lateral side of a cylinder head. A first case accommodates an engine. A second case accommodates a propeller shaft. A third case is between the first case and the second case in a vertical direction. An exhaust pipe is between the first case and the second case in the vertical direction. The exhaust pipe is connected to the first exhaust passage. At least a portion of the exhaust pipe is outside the third case as seen in a side view of the outboard motor. An exterior cover is between the first case and the second case in the vertical direction. The exterior cover covers the exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kimitaka Saruwatari, Shuhei Okamoto, Seiji Arai, Daisuke Koyama, Yu Wakamizu
  • Publication number: 20230066941
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a drive shaft cover to cover a drive shaft extending downwardly from an engine, a lower unit turnable with respect to the drive shaft cover, and a harness. A lower housing of the lower unit houses a lower portion of the drive shaft and an electrical component. The harness is connected to the electrical component through an upper space provided in the drive shaft cover and through a lower space that communicates with the upper space from below in the lower housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 13, 2022
    Publication date: March 2, 2023
    Inventor: Kimitaka SARUWATARI
  • Publication number: 20230049819
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a bracket, an outboard motor main body including an upper portion attachable to a hull via the bracket and a lower portion located below the upper portion and on which a propeller is provided, a first steering mechanism to rotate the upper portion in a right-left direction with respect to the hull, and a second steering mechanism to rotate the lower portion in the right-left direction with respect to the upper portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2022
    Publication date: February 16, 2023
    Inventors: Kimitaka SARUWATARI, Yuhei SUZUKI, Akira HARABE, Genta OTSUKI