Patents by Inventor Kiyotaka Hirata

Kiyotaka Hirata 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: 10675960
    Abstract: The present invention provides a traveling device including: a framework member of a vehicle body; at least one rail member being supported by the framework member and extending substantially horizontally; a battery supporting member that is mounted to be insertable into the vehicle body and extractable from the vehicle body by the rail member for supporting a battery; and at least one damper member being disposed between the rail member and the battery supporting member, wherein the damper member is attached above or below the rail member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Higuchi, Tetsushi Itoh, Kyosuke Taka, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Kosuke Tanaka, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Patent number: 10640146
    Abstract: A moving vehicle includes a skid-steer electric motor vehicle chassis that is capable of traveling and an optical sensor provided on the electric motor vehicle chassis. The electric motor vehicle chassis includes a chassis body, a plurality of wheels that are provided as pairs of right and left wheels at the front and rear of the chassis body, and a driving unit that individually rotation-drives the pairs of right and left wheels. The optical sensor is disposed, in planar view, at a position nearby an axle line of a pair of right and left wheels on one side of the front and rear. A pair of right and left wheels on the other side of the front and rear is configured of wheels with rollers each having a wheel body and a plurality of rollers provided on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Tanaka, Kyosuke Taka, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Atsushi Higuchi, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Publication number: 20190337564
    Abstract: A moving vehicle includes a skid-steer electric motor vehicle chassis that is capable of traveling and an optical sensor provided on the electric motor vehicle chassis. The electric motor vehicle chassis includes a chassis body, a plurality of wheels that are provided as pairs of right and left wheels at the front and rear of the chassis body, and a driving unit that individually rotation-drives the pairs of right and left wheels. The optical sensor is disposed, in planar view, at a position nearby an axle line of a pair of right and left wheels on one side of the front and rear. A pair of right and left wheels on the other side of the front and rear is configured of wheels with rollers each having a wheel body and a plurality of rollers provided on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: KOSUKE TANAKA, KYOSUKE TAKA, YOSHITAKA OKAHASHI, ATSUSHI HIGUCHI, KIYOTAKA HIRATA
  • Patent number: 10466699
    Abstract: An autonomous travel device is provided with wheels, a device main body, a power source that is provided on one end portion of the device main body within the device main body and causes the device main body to travel autonomously by driving the wheels, a battery for supplying power to the power source, and an accommodation unit for accommodating the battery from the other end portion of the device main body to a central portion of the device main body within the device main body. With this configuration, it is possible to easily perform replacement of the battery, and therefore, it is possible to perform autonomous travel that is stabilized due to disposition of the battery in consideration of the center of gravity of the device main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Hirata, Atsushi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 10442462
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle body structure for an autonomously traveling vehicle that is distinguished for maintainability. A vehicle body structure (1) for an autonomously traveling vehicle that travels on wheels (3) provided on a chassis (2) includes side frames (4R), (4L) that extend in a chassis longitudinal direction on both sides of the chassis with respect to a chassis width direction, first drive units (20) in each of which a drive motor (5) that is for driving the wheel (3), a reduction gear (6), and a drive shaft (7) that drives the wheel (3) are integrally configured, and second drive units (30) which each rotatably hold a drive shaft (7) that drives the wheel (3). The vehicle body structure (1) is characterized in that the first drive units (20) and the second drive units (30) are each provided so as to be integrally mountable in and dismountable from the same side frames.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Higuchi, Kyosuke Taka, Tetsushi Ito, Kiyotaka Hirata, Kosuke Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10399598
    Abstract: A moving vehicle includes a skid-steer electric motor vehicle chassis that is capable of traveling and an optical sensor provided on the electric motor vehicle chassis. The electric motor vehicle chassis includes a chassis body, a plurality of wheels that are provided as pairs of right and left wheels at the front and rear of the chassis body, and a driving unit that individually rotation-drives the pairs of right and left wheels. The optical sensor is disposed, in planar view, at a position nearby an axle line of a pair of right and left wheels on one side of the front and rear. A pair of right and left wheels on the other side of the front and rear is configured of wheels with rollers each having a wheel body and a plurality of rollers provided on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Tanaka, Kyosuke Taka, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Atsushi Higuchi, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Patent number: 10357584
    Abstract: A cubicle unit includes a first illumination apparatus, a second illumination apparatus, a sensor, and a controller. When a brightness sensed by the sensor is a predetermined brightness or less, the controller causes the second illumination apparatus to emit light having a first color temperature lower than a color temperature of light emitted by the first illumination apparatus. When the brightness sensed by the sensor is greater than the predetermined brightness, the controller causes the second illumination apparatus to emit light having a second color temperature lower than the first color temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2019
    Assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hatta, Junichi Hasegawa, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Patent number: 10279782
    Abstract: A wheel cleaning system for an autonomous driving apparatus includes the autonomous driving apparatus with wheels, capable of driving autonomously based on peripheral information, and a cleaning area for cleaning the wheels. The cleaning area has a cleaning mat for cleaning the wheels as the wheels turn to rub against the mat. The autonomous driving apparatus has a controller for controlling an operation of the autonomous driving apparatus so as to perform a cleaning process of the wheels in the cleaning area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kiyotaka Hirata, Kyosuke Taka, Tetsushi Ito, Masatoshi Tomomasa, Atsushi Higuchi, Kosuke Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20190009663
    Abstract: The present invention provides a traveling device including: a framework member of a vehicle body; at least one rail member being supported by the framework member and extending substantially horizontally; a battery supporting member that is mounted to be insertable into the vehicle body and extractable from the vehicle body by the rail member for supporting a battery; and at least one damper member being disposed between the rail member and the battery supporting member, wherein the damper member is attached above or below the rail member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Publication date: January 10, 2019
    Inventors: Atsushi HIGUCHI, Tetsushi ITOH, Kyosuke TAKA, Yoshitaka OKAHASHI, Kosuke TANAKA, Kiyotaka HIRATA
  • Patent number: 10112471
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery-driven traveling device including: a framework section disposed on at least a bottom part of a vehicle body for ensuring strength of the vehicle body; two slide rails being composed of a left slide rail and a right slide rail and being supported by the framework section and extending substantially horizontally; a battery supporting member that is mounted to be insertable into the vehicle body and extractable from the vehicle body by using the two slide rails; and a plurality of dampers disposed on a path through which vibration of the vehicle body is transmitted from each of the slide rails to the battery supporting member for relaxing the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the battery while the device travels, wherein the left slide rail is disposed on left side of the battery supporting member and the right slide rail is disposed on right side of the battery supporting member, and each of the dampers is disposed above or below the left slide rail or the r
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Higuchi, Tetsushi Itoh, Kyosuke Taka, Yoshitaka Okahashi, Kosuke Tanaka, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Publication number: 20180065242
    Abstract: A moving vehicle includes a skid-steer electric motor vehicle chassis that is capable of traveling and an optical sensor provided on the electric motor vehicle chassis. The electric motor vehicle chassis includes a chassis body, a plurality of wheels that are provided as pairs of right and left wheels at the front and rear of the chassis body, and a driving unit that individually rotation-drives the pairs of right and left wheels. The optical sensor is disposed, in planar view, at a position nearby an axle line of a pair of right and left wheels on one side of the front and rear. A pair of right and left wheels on the other side of the front and rear is configured of wheels with rollers each having a wheel body and a plurality of rollers provided on an outer circumferential portion of the wheel body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2017
    Publication date: March 8, 2018
    Inventors: KOSUKE TANAKA, KYOSUKE TAKA, YOSHITAKA OKAHASHI, ATSUSHI HIGUCHI, KIYOTAKA HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20170369100
    Abstract: To provide a vehicle body structure for an autonomously traveling vehicle that is distinguished for maintainability. A vehicle body structure (1) for an autonomously traveling vehicle that travels on wheels (3) provided on a chassis (2) includes side frames (4R), (4L) that extend in a chassis longitudinal direction on both sides of the chassis with respect to a chassis width direction, first drive units (20) in each of which a drive motor (5) that is for driving the wheel (3), a reduction gear (6), and a drive shaft (7) that drives the wheel (3) are integrally configured, and second drive units (30) which each rotatably hold a drive shaft (7) that drives the wheel (3). The vehicle body structure (1) is characterized in that the first drive units (20) and the second drive units (30) are each provided so as to be integrally mountable in and dismountable from the same side frames.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2016
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi HIGUCHI, Kyosuke TAKA, Tetsushi ITO, Kiyotaka HIRATA, Kosuke TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20170364075
    Abstract: An autonomous travel device is provided with wheels, a device main body, a power source that is provided on one end portion of the device main body within the device main body and causes the device main body to travel autonomously by driving the wheels, a battery for supplying power to the power source, and an accommodation unit for accommodating the battery from the other end portion of the device main body to a central portion of the device main body within the device main body. With this configuration, it is possible to easily perform replacement of the battery, and therefore, it is possible to perform autonomous travel that is stabilized due to disposition of the battery in consideration of the center of gravity of the device main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Publication date: December 21, 2017
    Inventors: Kiyotaka HIRATA, Atsushi HIGUCHI
  • Patent number: 9845015
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure of an autonomous vehicle includes: a first driver integrally configured of a drive portion for a first wheel, a drive shaft for the first wheel and a first shaft support for the drive shaft; a second driver integrally configured of an axle for a second wheel and a second shaft support for the axle; and, a pair of side frames arranged on each side in a width direction of the chassis and each extended in a front-to-rear direction of the chassis to support the first driver and the second driver. The first shaft support and the second shaft support each have an attachment part to be fixed to a flank of the side frame from an outside. Each of the first and second drivers is integrally attached to, and detached from, the side frame, by access from the flank of the side frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Higuchi, Kyosuke Taka, Tetsushi Ito, Masatoshi Tomomasa, Kosuke Tanaka, Kiyotaka Hirata
  • Publication number: 20170334279
    Abstract: The present invention provides a battery-driven traveling device including: a framework section disposed on at least a bottom part of a vehicle body for ensuring strength of the vehicle body; two slide rails being composed of a left slide rail and a right slide rail and being supported by the framework section and extending substantially horizontally; a battery supporting member that is mounted to be insertable into the vehicle body and extractable from the vehicle body by using the two slide rails; and a plurality of dampers disposed on a path through which vibration of the vehicle body is transmitted from each of the slide rails to the battery supporting member for relaxing the vibration transmitted from the vehicle body to the battery while the device travels, wherein the left slide rail is disposed on left side of the battery supporting member and the right slide rail is disposed on right side of the battery supporting member, and each of the dampers is disposed above or below the left slide rail or the r
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 23, 2017
    Inventors: Atsushi HIGUCHI, Tetsushi ITOH, Kyosuke TAKA, Yoshitaka OKAHASHI, Kosuke TANAKA, Kiyotaka HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20170296687
    Abstract: A cubicle unit includes a first illumination apparatus, a second illumination apparatus, a sensor, and a controller. When a brightness sensed by the sensor is a predetermined brightness or less, the controller causes the second illumination apparatus to emit light having a first color temperature lower than a color temperature of light emitted by the first illumination apparatus. When the brightness sensed by the sensor is greater than the predetermined brightness, the controller causes the second illumination apparatus to emit light having a second color temperature lower than the first color temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuhiro HATTA, Junichi HASEGAWA, Kiyotaka HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20160355092
    Abstract: A vehicle body structure of an autonomous vehicle that travels on wheels attached to a chassis, includes: a first driver integrally configured of a drive portion for driving a first wheel, a drive shaft for driving the first wheel and a first shaft support that rotatably supports the drive shaft; a second driver integrally configured of an axle for supporting a second wheel and a second shaft support that rotatably supports the axle; and, a pair of side frames arranged on each side in a width direction of the chassis and each extended in a front-to-rear direction of the chassis to support the first driver and the second driver. The first shaft support and the second shaft support each have an attachment part to be fixed to a flank of the side frame from an outside. Each of the first and second drivers can be integrally attached to, and detached from, the side frame, by access from the flank of the side frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Publication date: December 8, 2016
    Inventors: Atsushi HIGUCHI, Kyosuke TAKA, Tetsushi ITO, Masatoshi TOMOMASA, Kosuke TANAKA, Kiyotaka HIRATA
  • Publication number: 20160339879
    Abstract: A wheel cleaning system for an autonomous driving apparatus includes the autonomous driving apparatus with wheels, capable of driving autonomously based on peripheral information, and a cleaning area for cleaning the wheels. The cleaning area has a cleaning mat for cleaning the wheels as the wheels turn to rub against the mat. The autonomous driving apparatus has a controller for controlling an operation of the autonomous driving apparatus so as to perform a cleaning process of the wheels in the cleaning area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2016
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Inventors: Kiyotaka HIRATA, Kyosuke TAKA, Tetsushi ITO, Masatoshi TOMOMASA, Atsushi HIGUCHI, Kosuke TANAKA
  • Patent number: 8418367
    Abstract: To realize a manufacturing method for a wheel-supporting rolling bearing unit that can establish sufficient parallelism between a rotating side installation surface 14 for fastening to and supporting a disk of a disk brake and a stationary side installation surface 15 for fastening a caliper or support, in the present invention, while rotating a hub 2 comprising the rotating side installation surface 14 with respect to an outer race comprising the stationary side installation surface, a finishing process such as turning is performed on the rotating side installation surface 14 or both side surfaces in the axial direction of the disk which is fastened and supported to and by the rotating side installation surface 14, with the stationary side installation surface 15 as a reference surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ishikawa, Yasunori Suzuki, Narihito Otake, Tetsu Takehara, Kiyotaka Hirata, Shouji Horike, Tetsuo Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 7578045
    Abstract: A trunnion for toroidal continuously variable transmission, includes: an oblique surface, a bottom surface, an inclining shaft having an end surface and an inclining end surface, a pivot hole, an inner flat plane, and a crossing lubrication hole. The trunnion is obtained by supporting a trunnion material taking the oblique surface or the bottom surface as a machining reference and taking one of the end surface and the inclining end surface as an axial positioning reference, and by machining the trunnion material to form the inner flat surface, the pivot hole and the crossing lubrication hole of the trunnion while keeping the trunnion material retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventor: Kiyotaka Hirata