Patents by Inventor Kunihiro NITAWAKI
Kunihiro NITAWAKI 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: 8936126Abstract: A vehicle battery pack mounting structure that suppresses vibrations of a floor panel while making a shock absorbing space between the battery pack and vehicle exterior members large by effectively utilizing a space between coil springs. The battery pack mounting structure includes a pair of left and right side members and a cross member for supporting the battery pack. A pair of left and right coil springs is installed at these side members and function as suspension members. The battery pack is installed inside an opening of a floor panel between the coil springs, and also between the coil springs, a front portion of the battery pack has a tapered outer surface that becomes narrower as it enters deeper into a space between the coil springs. The opening of the floor panel also has a tapered edge shape.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: January 20, 2015Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventors: Kunihiro Nitawaki, Atsushi Horiuchi
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Patent number: 8881853Abstract: A battery pack mounting structure for electric cars in which a pair of rear side members having a front portion, a rear portion, and a rising portion are arranged at both vehicle-widthwise side portions, intermediate portions of the respective rear side members are coupled to each other by a cross member, and a battery pack is mounted on a vehicle body by a sub-frame that is coupled to the respective rear side members and the cross member, wherein the cross member is arranged at a position below a bent portion that connects the rising portion and the rear portion of each of the rear side members, the sub-frame includes a ring-like support frame that extends in a horizontal direction and surrounds an outer periphery of the battery pack, and a front side portion and both vehicle-widthwise side portions of the support frame are respectively coupled to the cross member and the rear portions of the respective rear side members by coupling portions.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2013Date of Patent: November 11, 2014Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Nitawaki
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Patent number: 8820455Abstract: A battery pack cooling mechanism for a hybrid vehicle is provided. An opening is formed in a floor panel located rearwardly of the vehicle. An upper portion of a battery pack inserted into the opening is closed by a cover panel. The opening is formed in misalignment with above an exhaust pipe so that the battery pack is arranged adjacent the exhaust pipe in the width-wise direction of the vehicle. An air-intake device is mounted on a top surface of the battery pack. An air outlet port of the air-intake device opens frontward of the vehicle. An air outlet port of an air outlet duct opens more rearwardly than the battery pack. A filer element which removes foreign substances is disposed in the air-intake device. A service lid is disposed on an upper portion of the cover panel for maintenance of the filter element.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2013Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventors: Kunihiro Nitawaki, Koji Takizawa, Atsushi Horiuchi
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Patent number: 8789634Abstract: An electric vehicle has a battery pack under a floor panel. The battery pack includes battery modules having an electricity storage function, a first case holding the battery modules therein, and a power shut-off mechanism temporarily interrupting the electric power of the battery modules. The floor panel includes an access port communicating between the inside and outside of a cabin. The battery pack further includes a second case extending upward from an upper surface of the first case adjacent to the floor panel and including the power shut-off mechanism therein. The second case has an opening for allowing the access to the power shut-off mechanism from the outside of the second case, the opening being oriented in an access direction where the power shut-off mechanism is accessed from the access port toward the opening.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2011Date of Patent: July 29, 2014Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Nitawaki
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Patent number: 8763743Abstract: There is provided a battery pack mounting structure for an electric vehicle. A battery pack is mounted in a space behind a rear seat of the electric vehicle. Battery modules are accommodated in the battery back are in a stacked state in a height direction of the electric vehicle. A floor panel behind the rear seat is formed with an opening into which an upper part of the battery pack is inserted. When seen from a side of the electric vehicle, a dimension of one battery module disposed at a position protruding upwards from the opening, is smaller in the longitudinal direction than that of another battery module disposed below the one battery module, and a front end portion of the one battery module is offset towards a rear side of the electric vehicle relative to that of the another battery module.Type: GrantFiled: May 24, 2013Date of Patent: July 1, 2014Assignee: Suzuki Motor CorporationInventor: Kunihiro Nitawaki
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Publication number: 20130327583Abstract: A vehicle battery pack mounting structure that suppresses vibrations of a floor panel while making a shock absorbing space between the battery pack and vehicle exterior members large by effectively utilizing a space between coil springs. The battery pack mounting structure includes a pair of left and right side members and a cross member for supporting the battery pack. A pair of left and right coil springs is installed at these side members and function as suspension members. The battery pack is installed inside an opening of a floor panel between the coil springs, and also between the coil springs, a front portion of the battery pack has a tapered outer surface that becomes narrower as it enters deeper into a space between the coil springs. The opening of the floor panel also has a tapered edge shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2013Publication date: December 12, 2013Inventors: Kunihiro NITAWAKI, Atsushi HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20130319780Abstract: There is provided a battery pack mounting structure for an electric vehicle. A battery pack is mounted in a space behind a rear seat of the electric vehicle. Battery modules are accommodated in the battery back are in a stacked state in a height direction of the electric vehicle. A floor panel behind the rear seat is formed with an opening into which an upper part of the battery pack is inserted. When seen from a side of the electric vehicle, a dimension of one battery module disposed at a position protruding upwards from the opening, is smaller in the longitudinal direction than that of another battery module disposed below the one battery module, and a front end portion of the one battery module is offset towards a rear side of the electric vehicle relative to that of the another battery module.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 24, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro NITAWAKI
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Publication number: 20130319779Abstract: A battery pack cooling mechanism for a hybrid vehicle is provided. An opening is formed in a floor panel located rearwardly of the vehicle. An upper portion of a battery pack inserted into the opening is closed by a cover panel. The opening is formed in misalignment with above an exhaust pipe so that the battery pack is arranged adjacent the exhaust pipe in the width-wise direction of the vehicle. An air-intake device is mounted on a top surface of the battery pack. An air outlet port of the air-intake device opens frontward of the vehicle. An air outlet port of an air outlet duct opens more rearwardly than the battery pack. A filer element which removes foreign substances is disposed in the air-intake device. A service lid is disposed on an upper portion of the cover panel for maintenance of the filter element.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 16, 2013Publication date: December 5, 2013Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kunihiro NITAWAKI, Koji TAKIZAWA, Atsushi HORIUCHI
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Publication number: 20130248267Abstract: An object of the present invention is to protect a battery pack in the event of a vehicle rear impact in an electric car in which the battery pack is arranged between rear side members arranged at a vehicle rear portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2013Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Kunihiro Nitawaki
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Publication number: 20120160584Abstract: An electric vehicle has a battery pack under a floor panel. The battery pack includes battery modules having an electricity storage function, a first case holding the battery modules therein, and a power shut-off mechanism temporarily interrupting the electric power of the battery modules. The floor panel includes an access port communicating between the inside and outside of a cabin. The battery pack further includes a second case extending upward from an upper surface of the first case adjacent to the floor panel and including the power shut-off mechanism therein. The second case has an opening for allowing the access to the power shut-off mechanism from the outside of the second case, the opening being oriented in an access direction where the power shut-off mechanism is accessed from the access port toward the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2011Publication date: June 28, 2012Inventor: Kunihiro Nitawaki
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Publication number: 20120111528Abstract: A cooling duct structure for a battery unit includes a cooling duct which is located above the battery unit, and extends toward an upper portion of an auxiliary mounting space. The cooling duct is separated into an upper duct and a lower duct in a middle portion thereof. The lower duct is fixedly connected to the battery unit, and can be mounted on the vehicle together with the battery unit. The upper duct and the lower duct, which are separated from each other, can be connected to each other when the battery unit is fixed to and mounted on the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2011Publication date: May 10, 2012Inventors: Tomokazu TAKEUCHI, Kunihiro NITAWAKI