Patents by Inventor Kunihiko Kamio

Kunihiko Kamio 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: 9197180
    Abstract: An audio unit mountable in a personal watercraft, comprises a speaker, an automated adjustment device for automatically adjusting a volume of a sound emitted from the speaker such that the volume of the sound becomes an automated sound volume value corresponding to an engine speed or a watercraft speed, and a sound volume manipulation member manipulated by a rider to change the volume of the sound emitted from the speaker with respect to the automated sound volume value; wherein when the engine speed or the watercraft speed satisfies a predetermined deceleration condition, the automated adjustment device cancels a sound volume increase amount with respect to the automated sound volume value which was caused by the rider's manipulation of the sound volume manipulation member before the predetermined deceleration condition is satisfied, and adjusts the sound volume such that the volume of the sound becomes the automated sound volume value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 9114861
    Abstract: A personal watercraft is provided which includes a body including a deck and a hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof; a water jet pump configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of an ejecting nozzle; an engine for actuating the water jet pump; an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump; a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated in a straddle state; a passenger seat section provided on the deck behind the driver seat section and configured to accommodate a passenger seated in a straddle state; a sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section; and a controller for controlling the engine to reduce an engine driving power, if the sensor detects the passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20140177865
    Abstract: An audio unit mountable in a personal watercraft, comprises a speaker, an automated adjustment device for automatically adjusting a volume of a sound emitted from the speaker such that the volume of the sound becomes an automated sound volume value corresponding to an engine speed or a watercraft speed, and a sound volume manipulation member manipulated by a rider to change the volume of the sound emitted from the speaker with respect to the automated sound volume value; wherein when the engine speed or the watercraft speed satisfies a predetermined deceleration condition, the automated adjustment device cancels a sound volume increase amount with respect to the automated sound volume value which was caused by the rider's manipulation of the sound volume manipulation member before the predetermined deceleration condition is satisfied, and adjusts the sound volume such that the volume of the sound becomes the automated sound volume value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 8751158
    Abstract: A personal watercraft includes a handle having a pair of right and left grip portions, and a handle pad configured to cover a region of the handle, the region being located between the pair of grip portions. The handle pad is provided on a surface thereof with an accommodating concave portion configured to accommodate therein a portable information device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Kamio, Minoru Kanamori, Atsufumi Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20140030937
    Abstract: A personal watercraft is provided which includes a body including a deck and a hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof; a water jet pump configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of an ejecting nozzle; an engine for actuating the water jet pump; an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump; a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated in a straddle state; a passenger seat section provided on the deck behind the driver seat section and configured to accommodate a passenger seated in a straddle state; a sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section; and a controller for controlling the engine to reduce an engine driving power, if the sensor detects the passenger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20140030938
    Abstract: A personal watercraft is provided which includes a body including a deck and a hull having a water intake on a bottom portion thereof; a water jet pump configured to suction water through the water intake and eject the water through an outlet port of an ejecting nozzle; an engine for actuating the water jet pump; an ejecting direction adjusting device for adjusting an ejecting direction of the water ejected from the water jet pump; a driver seat section provided on the deck and configured to accommodate a driver seated in a straddle state; a passenger seat section provided on the deck behind the driver seat section and configured to accommodate a passenger seated in a straddle state; a sensor for detecting the passenger seated on the passenger seat section; and a controller for controlling the engine to reduce an engine driving power, if the sensor detects the passenger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 8177592
    Abstract: A personal watercraft comprises a water jet pump configured to be driven by an engine to generate a rearward water jet, a reverse bucket mounted at a periphery of the water jet pump and movable between a forward driving position and a reverse driving position, a driving power operation member configured to control an engine driving power, a reverse driving operation member configured to change a position of the reverse bucket from the forward driving position to the reverse driving position, and a deceleration operation member, wherein the reverse bucket is in the forward driving position when the deceleration operation member and the reverse driving operation member are not operated, and the reverse bucket is in a deceleration position between the forward driving position and the reverse driving position when the deceleration operation member has been operated and the reverse driving operation member is not operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabuskihi Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 8166900
    Abstract: A personal watercraft configured to eject water rearward from a body thereof to generate a propulsive force, includes a pair of right and left resistive elements which are attached to the body and configured to be able to receive water resistance during travel of the watercraft. The resistive elements are configured to move between an operating position and a non-operating position, the water resistance being larger in the operating position than in the non-operating position. Each of the resistive elements includes a pressure receiving section configured to receive the water resistance in the operating position, and wherein in the operating position, at least a portion of the pressure receiving section is located outward relative to a coupling portion where the resistive element is coupled to the body, in a width direction of the body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 8070538
    Abstract: A jet pump of a personal watercraft of the present invention includes a pump casing 10 provided with a fairing vane part including a plurality of fairing vanes 12, and the front portion of each of the fairing vanes 12 has two attack angles which are an attack angle ? of the fairing vane and the front end attack angle ? which is larger than the attack angle ?. Thereby, the attack angle of the fairing vane is adapted to the water jet flow so that reduction of pump efficiency is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20110247539
    Abstract: A personal watercraft configured to eject water rearward from a body thereof to generate a propulsive force, includes a pair of right and left resistive elements which are attached to the body and configured to be able to receive water resistance during travel of the watercraft. The resistive elements are configured to move between an operating position and a non-operating position, the water resistance being larger in the operating position than in the non-operating position. Each of the resistive elements includes a pressure receiving section configured to receive the water resistance in the operating position, and wherein in the operating position, at least a portion of the pressure receiving section is located outward relative to a coupling portion where the resistive element is coupled to the body, in a width direction of the body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20110244737
    Abstract: A personal watercraft comprises a water jet pump configured to be driven by an engine to generate a rearward water jet, a reverse bucket mounted at a periphery of the water jet pump and movable between a forward driving position and a reverse driving position, a driving power operation member configured to control an engine driving power, a reverse driving operation member configured to change a position of the reverse bucket from the forward driving position to the reverse driving position, and a deceleration operation member, wherein the reverse bucket is in the forward driving position when the deceleration operation member and the reverse driving operation member are not operated, and the reverse bucket is in a deceleration position between the forward driving position and the reverse driving position when the deceleration operation member has been operated and the reverse driving operation member is not operated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2010
    Publication date: October 6, 2011
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 7802648
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a fuel tank configured to store a fuel supplied to the engine, a fuel gauge configured to detect a fuel level of the fuel inside the fuel tank, and a tilting detector configured to determine whether or not a body of the vehicle is tilted, based on a signal output from the fuel gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2010
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20100131131
    Abstract: A personal watercraft includes a handle having a pair of right and left grip portions, and a handle pad configured to cover a region of the handle, the region being located between the pair of grip portions. The handle pad is provided on a surface thereof with an accommodating concave portion configured to accommodate therein a portable information device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Kamio, Minoru Kanamori, Atsufumi Ozaki
  • Publication number: 20080314674
    Abstract: A vehicle including an engine, a fuel tank configured to store a fuel supplied to the engine, a fuel gauge configured to detect a fuel level of the fuel inside the fuel tank, and a tilting detector configured to determine whether or not a body of the vehicle is tilted, based on a signal output from the fuel gauge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Publication number: 20080318481
    Abstract: A jet pump of a personal watercraft of the present invention includes a pump casing 10 provided with a fairing vane part including a plurality of fairing vanes 12, and the front portion of each of the fairing vanes 12 has two attack angles which are an attack angle ? of the fairing vane and the front end attack angle ? which is larger than the attack angle ?. Thereby, the attack angle of the fairing vane is adapted to the water jet flow so that reduction of pump efficiency is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicant: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 7328666
    Abstract: A small watercraft equipped with a lock mechanism for an engine hood is disclosed. The watercraft includes a deck, an engine hood that is pivotably provided to the deck around a pivot shaft, and covers an engine room thereunder from above so as to open and close, and a lock mechanism for locking the hood in an open position. The mechanism includes one member attached to the hood, another member attached to the deck, and a stopping member. At least one of the one member and the another member is formed with a protruding portion that protrudes in the radial direction of the pivoting. The stopping member is attached to the other member, and the protruding portion engages with the stopping member when the engine hood reaches a predetermined open position so that the protruding portion stops the pivoting of the one member to lock the hood in the position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tsumiyama, Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 7288010
    Abstract: A personal watercraft including a body including a hull and a deck covering the hull from above, an engine accommodated in an interior of the body, and an exhaust system that is accommodated in the interior of the body. The exhaust system includes an upstream muffler and a downstream muffler located on an upstream side and on a downstream side in a flow of the exhaust gas, the exhaust gas emitted from the engine flowing through the upstream and downstream mufflers, a first exhaust pipe through which the upstream and downstream mufflers communicate with each other, and a second exhaust pipe configured to extend from the downstream muffler outside the body. The upstream muffler and the downstream muffler are arranged in parallel, and the second exhaust pipe extends from the downstream muffler through a region that is located closer to the engine than the first exhaust pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 7252566
    Abstract: A mounting portion of a water jet pump of a personal watercraft is disclosed. The mounting portion typically includes a tubular pump casing configured to accommodate the impeller, and a pump bracket configured to fasten the pump casing to the body of the watercraft. The pump casing is configured to be mountable to the pump bracket in such a manner that an internal fitting portion of the pump casing is internally fitted to a casing receiving portion of the pump bracket from rearward with a ring-shaped seal element fitted into a groove provided on the pump casing, and an outer peripheral surface of the internal fitting portion and an inner peripheral surface of the casing receiving portion are sealed by the seal element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Kamio, Takahide Komoriya
  • Publication number: 20070068434
    Abstract: A small watercraft equipped with a lock mechanism for an engine hood is disclosed. The watercraft includes a deck, an engine hood that is pivotably provided to the deck around a pivot shaft, and covers an engine room thereunder from above so as to open and close, and a lock mechanism for locking the hood in an open position. The mechanism includes one member attached to the hood, another member attached to the deck, and a stopping member. At least one of the one member and the another member is formed with a protruding portion that protrudes in the radial direction of the pivoting. The stopping member is attached to the other member, and the protruding portion engages with the stopping member when the engine hood reaches a predetermined open position so that the protruding portion stops the pivoting of the one member to lock the hood in the position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2006
    Publication date: March 29, 2007
    Inventors: Yoshinori Tsumiyama, Kunihiko Kamio
  • Patent number: 7194974
    Abstract: A steering device of a personal watercraft is disclosed. The steering device typically includes a lower steering column that is mounted to a body of the watercraft and is configured to be rotatable around a rotational axis extending rearward and upward, and an upper steering column that is configured to support a steering handle and is movably coupled to the lower steering column. The upper steering column is movable close to and away from the lower steering column along a straight line extending to be inclined rearward with respect to the rotational axis of the lower steering column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Kawasaki Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kunihiko Kamio