Patents by Inventor Masaaki Minakawa

Masaaki Minakawa 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: 11891130
    Abstract: Provided is a feature which allows an electric power steering device to improve the steering feel. The electric power steering device includes: a basic control amount calculating section configured to calculate a basic control amount corresponding to steering by a driver; a frictional force calculating section configured to calculate, by using a friction model, a frictional force corresponding to a wheel angle-related value, which is a value relating to a wheel angle of a steering device, and calculate a friction-originated control amount, which originates from the calculated frictional force; and a control amount calculating section configured to calculate a steering control amount in accordance with the basic control amount and the friction-originated control amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2024
    Assignee: HITACHI ASTEMO, LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Minakawa, Miki Kohso
  • Publication number: 20220032995
    Abstract: Provided is a feature which allows an electric power steering device to improve the steering feel. The electric power steering device includes: a basic control amount calculating section configured to calculate a basic control amount corresponding to steering by a driver; a frictional force calculating section configured to calculate, by using a friction model, a frictional force corresponding to a wheel angle-related value, which is a value relating to a wheel angle of a steering device, and calculate a friction-originated control amount, which originates from the calculated frictional force; and a control amount calculating section configured to calculate a steering control amount in accordance with the basic control amount and the friction-originated control amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Masaaki MINAKAWA, Miki KOHSO
  • Patent number: 8180530
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire steering control device for a vehicle using a model following control based on yaw rate or lateral acceleration, the target steering angle(s) of front wheels and/or rear wheels (Sfbs, Srbs) are corrected according a roll rate (Rre) of the vehicle which may be either detected or estimated from a lateral acceleration or yaw rate. Thereby, the roll rate gain can be reduced, and the damping property and response property of the yaw rate can be improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Publication number: 20090248248
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire steering control device for a vehicle using a model following control based on yaw rate or lateral acceleration, the target steering angle(s) of front wheels and/or rear wheels (Sfbs, Srbs) are corrected according a roll rate (Rre) of the vehicle which may be either detected or estimated from a lateral acceleration or yaw rate. Thereby, the roll rate gain can be reduced, and the damping property and response property of the yaw rate can be improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Akuta, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 5022673
    Abstract: A wheel suspension system for automobiles includes a control arm having a pair of front and rear inner ends and an outer end connected to a knuckle rotatably supporting a wheel. The inner ends are pivotally mounted to a vehicle body. At least one of the inner ends of the control arm is formed into bifurcated arms arranged longitudinally of the vehicle body. One of the bifurcated arms is rectilinearly integrally connected with the other inner end through a connection. A bolt for supporting the bifurcated arms at opposite ends is carried at a middle portion thereof on the vehicle body through a rubber bush. This allows the inner ends of the control arms and a section therebetween to be enhanced in rigidity, thereby enabling reductions in wall thickness and weight of the control arms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 11, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yousuke Sekino, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 5000477
    Abstract: A pair of upper and lower radius rods are connected at their rear ends to upper and lower portions of a swingable link system which includes a knuckle and upper and lower control arms, and have their front ends interconnected and pivotally connected to a vehicle body through an elastic support member for vertical swinging movement, and an included angle between two straight lines connecting the pivoted point and respective rear end of the radius rods is set to be an acute angle. This enables application of a force to the elastic support member between the radius rods and the vehicle body to be distinguished from (a) when a braking force has been applied to the wheel and (b) when the longitudinal load has been applied to a central portion of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1991
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Minakawa, Masafumi Imanari, Shuichi Kato
  • Patent number: 4931500
    Abstract: A hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 20 to 60% by mole and a defree of hydrolysis in the vinyl acetate component of at least 95% by mole, having an ash content of not more than 20 ppm and an alkali metal content of not more than 5 ppm, and having a ratio of the melt viscosity at 220.degree. C. after maintaining the copolymer at 220.degree. C. for 60 minutes to the melt viscosity at 220.degree. C. after maintaining the copolymer at 220.degree. C. for 5 minutes of 1.0 to 1.5. The hydrolyzed copolymer of the invention can give the films whose gas impermeability is not lowered even at high humidity, and is applicable to long-run molding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1988
    Date of Patent: June 5, 1990
    Assignee: Nippon Gohsei Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Okamoto, Masaaki Minakawa, Youiti Neki, Masasi Nakagire
  • Patent number: 4857589
    Abstract: A hydrolyzed ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer having an ethylene content of 20 to 60% by mole and a defree of hydrolysis in the vinyl acetate component of at least 95% by mole, and having an ash content of not more than 20 ppm and an alkali metal content of not more than 5 ppm. The hydrolyzed copolymer of the invention can form films whose gas impermeability is not lowered even at high humidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1987
    Date of Patent: August 15, 1989
    Assignee: Nippon Gohsei Kagaku Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Okamoto, Masaaki Minakawa, Youiti Neki, Masasi Nakagiri
  • Patent number: 4819500
    Abstract: A pedal bracket assembly for installation on a structural body having a vertical member and a transverse member projecting transversely from the vertical member includes a support member having vertical flanges adapted to be fastened to the vertical member and side walls joined to the vertical flanges and extending vertically, a pedal pivotally coupled to the side walls, and a holder member having a first adjustable component connectable to the transverse member with first bolts and first nuts for positional adjustment in a first direction in which the transverse member projects, and second adjustable components connectable to the side walls with second bolts and second nuts for positional adjustment in a second direction normal to the transverse member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Raita Musumiya, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 4798396
    Abstract: A wheel suspension system for automobiles, which comprises a pair of upper and lower control arms connected at their leading ends to a knuckle for carrying a wheel and having base ends each of which is vertically swingably pivoted respectively at front and rear spaced positions to a vehicle body, wherein a pair of upper and lower support arms are projectingly mounted on a vertical support shaft which is carried on the vehicle body through elastic members, and either of front and rear portions of respective base ends of the upper and lower control arms are connected respectively to the upper and lower support arms. This makes it possible to assure a larger caster rigidity during braking while providing a large longitudinal compliance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: January 17, 1989
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 4620720
    Abstract: Disclosed is a strut type suspension for automobiles, consisting of a member for rotatably supporting a wheel, a lower control arm extending in the widthwise direction of a chassis and connected pivotably at its outer end to the support member, and a disc brake unit or internally expansible drum brake unit provided in the wheel. The disc brake unit is provided in its central portion with a recess opened to an inner side of the chassis, an outer end fixing portion of the lower control arm for connection to the support member being set in said recess so as to be close to the center line of ground contact of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Sakata, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 4583759
    Abstract: A suspension arm supporting structure for overhead attachment of an upper suspension control arm to the vehicle body using a pair of bolts, each with a large head protruding downwardly towards the wheel, a hole in each head aligned along the same horizontal axis, and a horizontal bolt extending between the two holes in the heads of the vertical bolts to pivotally connect an upper suspension control arm to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 22, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yozo Kami, Masaaki Minakawa, Kanji Kubo
  • Patent number: 4565389
    Abstract: A vehicle suspension system comprising a knuckle arm supporting a wheel, upper and lower arms connecting the knuckle arm to a frame of a vehicle body, and a radius rod and a stabilizer each having an end attached to the lower arm in the vicinity of an end thereof connected to the knuckle arm. The lower arm has an attachment aperture defined therethrough substantially longitudinally of the vehicle body. Either the radius rod or the stabilizer is coupled to one of upper and lower surfaces of the lower arm, the other being inserted in the attachment aperture and coupled to the lower arm therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1983
    Date of Patent: January 21, 1986
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yozo Kami, Masaaki Minakawa, Kanji Kubo
  • Patent number: 4538831
    Abstract: A suspension for vehicles. The suspension includes a knuckle arm for supporting a steerable road wheel of the vehicle, an upper arm jointed at one end with the upper end of the knuckle arm and pivotably connected at the other end to a body frame of the vehicle, a lower arm jointed at one end with the lower end of the knuckle arm and pivotably connected at the other end to the body frame, and a shock absorber cooperating with the upper arm and the lower arm for suspending, through the knuckle arm, the steerable road wheel from the body frame. The upper arm has its position displaced longitudinally of the vehicle with a space left, and the shock absorber is disposed in the space obtained by the longitudinal displacement of the upper arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1983
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yozo Kami, Masaaki Minakawa, Kenji Kubo
  • Patent number: 4530415
    Abstract: A power transmission device for a front-engine front-drive car having right and left drive shafts different in length from each other. The turning moments applied to right and left front wheels when the car is accelerated are made equal to each other by making the descent angles of the drive shafts respectively substantially equal to each other. Moreover, the allowable steering angle ranges of the right and left front wheels can be widened by allowing the angles made between the right and left drive shafts and the common axis of the right and left front wheels respectively to be substantially equal to each other as viewed in a plan view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1985
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Sakata, Masaaki Minakawa
  • Patent number: 4032125
    Abstract: An insulator employing elastomeric blocks in compression and in shear is disclosed. It comprises an inner member having a wedge, an outer member around the wedge and spaced therefrom and two resilient means, each including alternative layers of rigid plates and elastomeric blocks, disposed on the opposite sides of the wedge and operatively connected between the wedge and the outer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1976
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1977
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Minakawa, Toshio Yoshikawa
  • Patent number: RE33148
    Abstract: Disclosed is a strut type suspension for automobiles, consisting of a member for rotatably supporting a wheel, a lower control arm extending in the widthwise direction of a chassis and connected pivotably at its outer end to the support member, and a disc brake unit or internally expansible drum brake unit provided in the wheel. The disc brake unit is provided in its central portion with a recess opened to an inner side of the chassis, an outer end fixing portion of the lower control arm for connection to the support member being set in said recess so as to be close to the center line of ground contact of the wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1990
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mamoru Sakata, Masaaki Minakawa