Patents by Inventor Kunihiro Oka

Kunihiro Oka 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: 6782771
    Abstract: A steering assist system which transmits the rotation of an electric motor to a steering shaft via a worm shaft and a worm wheel meshed with a worm of the worm shaft, where an output shaft of the electric motor and the worm shaft are interconnected via a joint. The joint includes a cylindrical first transmission member mounted on the output shaft, a cylindrical second transmission member to which the worm shaft is mounted, and a cylindrical elastic body interposed between the first and second transmission members. The joint may further include a torque limiter including a spring which is interposed between an end surface of the second transmission member and a spring seat formed at an end surface of a third transmission member in opposed relation with the end surface of the second transmission member for inhibiting relative rotation between the second and third transmission members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 31, 2004
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiro Oka, Osamu Sano, Takeo Iino, Masanori Kobayashi, Shigetaka Kinme
  • Patent number: 6708796
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus in which a shaft of a worm interlocking with rotation of a motor for steering assistance is movable in a radial direction, a pressing body for pressing the worm toward a worm wheel is provided, and the pressing body is provided with a V-shaped contact portion to abut in two circumferential positions of the shaft and an annular elastic body for restricting movement of the pressing body in a direction crossing the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kinme, Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, Susumu Imagaki, Osamu Sano, Kunihiro Oka, Tomoyuki Takei, Masanori Kobayashi, Yoshio Ito, Tatsuo Otsuka
  • Publication number: 20040045386
    Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a second bevel gear is allowed to move toward a first bevel gear and is biased by a biasing member toward the first bevel gear thereby to be moved toward the first bevel gear as following the wearing away of these bevel gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Takehiro Saruwatari, Kunihiro Oka, Masanori Arima
  • Publication number: 20030221896
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus comprises a speed reducing mechanism for decelerating the rotation of a rotatable shaft in an electric motor and a converting mechanism for converting the output rotation of the speed reducing mechanism into the axial movement of a steering shaft extending toward the right and left sides of a vehicle. The speed reducing mechanism comprises an input pulley driven by the electric motor, an output pulley arranged with the steering shaft enclosed thereby, a belt for connecting the input pulley and the output pulley to each other, and means for adjusting the tension of the belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Inventors: Hiroto Sasaki, Takehiro Saruwatari, Kensaku Nakamura, Atsuya Miyata, Kazuaki Nagamatsu, Kunihiro Oka, Hiroshi Murataka, Akihiro Hironaka
  • Patent number: 6629578
    Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a second bevel gear is allowed to move toward a first bevel gear and is biased by a biasing member toward the first bevel gear thereby to be moved toward the first bevel gear as following the wearing away of these bevel gears. In an electric power steering system, a support shaft formed with the first bevel gear at its distal end is rotatably supported by a retaining member, which is mounted to a support-shaft housing as allowed to move axially of the support shaft. The retaining member is adjusted for its position relative to the support-shaft housing with respect to the axial direction of the support shaft by means of a retaining member adjuster. The first bevel gear is moved toward the second bevel gear as following the wearing away of these bevel gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takehiro Saruwatari, Kunihiro Oka, Masanori Arima
  • Publication number: 20020096389
    Abstract: In an electric power steering system, a second bevel gear is allowed to move toward a first bevel gear and is biased by a biasing member toward the first bevel gear thereby to be moved toward the first bevel gear as following the wearing away of these bevel gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Takehiro Saruwatari, Kunihiro Oka, Masanori Arima, Souichi Iwasa, Takeshi Izumi
  • Publication number: 20020096005
    Abstract: In a steering assist system for providing steering assist by transmitting the rotation of an electric motor to a steering shaft via a worm shaft and a worm wheel meshed with a worm of the worm shaft, an output shaft of the electric motor and the worm shaft are inteconnected via a joint. The joint includes a cylindrical first transmission member mounted on the output shaft, a cylindrical second transmission member to which the worm shaft is mounted, and a cylindrical elastic body formed of rubber or the like and interposed between the first and second transmission members.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventors: Kunihiro Oka, Osamu Sano, Takeo Iino, Masanori Kobayashi, Shigetaka Kinme
  • Publication number: 20020017420
    Abstract: An electric power steering apparatus in which a shaft of a worm interlocking with rotation of a motor for steering assistance is movable in a radial direction, a pressing body for pressing the worm toward a worm wheel is provided, and the pressing body is provided with a V-shaped contact portion to abut in two circumferential positions of the shaft and an annular elastic body for restricting movement of the pressing body in a direction crossing the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2001
    Publication date: February 14, 2002
    Applicant: KOYO SEIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kinme, Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, Susumu Imagaki, Osamu Sano, Kunihiro Oka, Tomoyuki Takei, Masanori Kobayashi, Yoshio Ito, Tatsuo Otsuka