Patents by Inventor Masakatsu Kani

Masakatsu Kani 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: 8905208
    Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a housing having an inner peripheral spline portion; an inner shaft having an outer peripheral spline portion; a main clutch including first outer and inner clutch plates respectively engaged with the inner and outer peripheral spline portions; a cam mechanism generating pressing force for pressing the main clutch by relatively rotating a pair of cam members; and an electromagnetic clutch mechanism including an armature engaged with the inner peripheral spline portion and applying rotation force to the cam mechanism for relatively rotating the cam members through energization of an electromagnetic coil. An end face facing the armature is formed in the inner peripheral spline portion between a first region engaged with the first outer clutch plate and a second region engaged with the armature. Movement of the armature toward the first region is regulated by contact of the armature with the end face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Sawada, Mikiharu Oyabu, Yasunari Saito, Masakatsu Kani, Shun Ohno, Hirotake Ito, Yoshihiro Ikushima
  • Publication number: 20130327610
    Abstract: A driving force transmission apparatus includes: a housing having an inner peripheral spline portion; an inner shaft having an outer peripheral spline portion; a main clutch including first outer and inner clutch plates respectively engaged with the inner and outer peripheral spline portions; a cam mechanism generating pressing force for pressing the main clutch by relatively rotating a pair of cam members; and an electromagnetic clutch mechanism including an armature engaged with the inner peripheral spline portion and applying rotation force to the cam mechanism for relatively rotating the cam members through energization of an electromagnetic coil. An end face facing the armature is formed in the inner peripheral spline portion between a first region engaged with the first outer clutch plate and a second region engaged with the armature. Movement of the armature toward the first region is regulated by contact of the armature with the end face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Naoki Sawada, Mikiharu Oyabu, Yasunari Saito, Masakatsu Kani, Shun Ohno, Hirotake Ito, Yoshihiro Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8151958
    Abstract: A cam mechanism is provided with a forward rotation plate and a reverse rotation plate. The respective plates are urged by the respective coil springs in the directions opposite to each other. When the number of rotations of the front wheels becomes great relative to the number of rotations of the rear wheels, the forward rotation plate rotates. Thus, a main cam which is urged by the respective coil springs toward the neutral position rotates together with the forward rotation plate when the forward rotation plate rotates. When the number of rotations of the rear wheels becomes great relative to the number of rotations of the front wheels, the reverse rotation plate rotates. Thus, the main cam which is urged by the respective coil springs toward the neutral position rotates together with the reverse rotation plate when the reverse rotation plate rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Kani, Akio Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7694791
    Abstract: A driving force transmitting apparatus includes: a first torque-transmitting member having a cylindrical portion and provided with a spline tooth; a second torque-transmitting member positioned inside the cylindrical portion and arranged coaxially rotatably relative to the first torque-transmitting member; a main clutch with a spline tooth; an actuator unit for actuating the main clutch to be engaged; and a controlling device for controlling the actuator unit so as to pressurize the main clutch plate in such a manner that torque is not substantially transmitted between the first torque-transmitting member and the second torque-transmitting member when the engagement of the main clutch is judged to be unnecessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Kani, Akio Matsumoto, Toshimi Hara, Kunihiko Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Murakami
  • Publication number: 20080078622
    Abstract: A cam mechanism is provided with a forward rotation plate and a reverse rotation plate. The respective plates are urged by the respective coil springs in the directions opposite to each other. When the number of rotations of the front wheels becomes great relative to the number of rotations of the rear wheels, the forward rotation plate rotates. Thus, a main cam which is urged by the respective coil springs toward the neutral position rotates together with the forward rotation plate when the forward rotation plate rotates. When the number of rotations of the rear wheels becomes great relative to the number of rotations of the front wheels, the reverse rotation plate rotates. Thus, the main cam which is urged by the respective coil springs toward the neutral position rotates together with the reverse rotation plate when the reverse rotation plate rotates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu KANI, Akio MATSUMOTO
  • Publication number: 20070045075
    Abstract: A driving force transmitting apparatus includes: a first torque-transmitting member having a cylindrical portion and provided with a spline tooth; a second torque-transmitting member positioned inside the cylindrical portion and arranged coaxially rotatably relative to the first torque-transmitting member; a main clutch with a spline tooth; an actuator unit for actuating the main clutch to be engaged; and a controlling device for controlling the actuator unit so as to pressurize the main clutch plate in such a manner that torque is not substantially transmitted between the first torque-transmitting member and the second torque-transmitting member when the engagement of the main clutch is judged to be unnecessary.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masakatsu Kani, Akio Matsumoto, Toshimi Hara, Kunihiko Suzuki, Tsuyoshi Murakami
  • Patent number: 4125090
    Abstract: A control method and system for efficient operation of an internal combustion engine by controlling the volume of gas mixture supplied from a car-mounted fuel reformer to the internal combustion engine and the mixing ratio, as well as the volumes of air and fuel supplied to the car-mounted fuel reformer. To be more specific, efficient operation of the internal combustion engine is provided by controlling the mixing ratio of air and liquid fuel supplied to a car-mounted fuel reformer, which produces a hydrogen-containing gas from a liquid fuel through the reaction of partial oxidation, and at the same time adding a controlled volume of air to the hydrogen-containing gas discharged from the car-mounted fuel reformer and supplying the resultant mixture of the hydrogen-containing gas and air to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1976
    Date of Patent: November 14, 1978
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kunihiko Masunaga, Masakatsu Kani, Hirohiko Hoshi, Kazuhiko Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 4002150
    Abstract: Gas generator for mounting on an automobile, said generator comprising a float chamber for holding a liquid fuel, a gas tank to hold an inflammable gas generated through partial oxidation and steam-reforming of said liquid fuel after passage through catalyst beds, and a valve for opening and closing a duct which carries said liquid fuel from said float chamber to the carburetor in response to the pressure within said gas tank, characterized in that when starting, only the liquid fuel is supplied from said float chamber to the carburetor to drive the engine, and when said catalyst beds are heated up and the inflammable gas fills the gas tank, said inflammable gas is used as the fuel supply for the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1975
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1977
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shinohara, Kunihiko Masunaga, Masakatsu Kani, Hidetomo Umehara