Patents by Inventor Masaru Kobayashi
Masaru Kobayashi 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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Publication number: 20180026539Abstract: A power conversion device provided with a DC power source, a voltage boost converter, an inverter, a primary smoothing capacitor, a secondary smoothing capacitor, an intermediate capacitor provided in the voltage boost converter and three voltage sensors which measure the voltages of the capacitors, further including an abnormality diagnosis controller which makes a diagnosis of the presence/absence of an abnormality in the detection characteristics of the voltage sensors, on the basis of the state of transition of the detection results of the voltage sensors which are monitored during a discharge operation by the respective capacitors.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2017Publication date: January 25, 2018Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Masaru KOBAYASHI, Shinsuke IDENOUE, Satoshi ISHII, Kazuhiko OTSUKA, Junichi ABE
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Patent number: 9874273Abstract: A method for manufacturing a flexible externally toothed gear includes: a first step (ST1) for producing a primary molded article by performing near-net-shape plastic working on a material comprising a nickel-free low-alloy steel having a silicon content of 1.45-1.5 wt %; a second step (ST2) for martempering the primary molded article; a third step (ST3) for producing a secondary molded article from the primary molded article; and a fourth step (ST4) for shot-peening the secondary molded article to change the surface portions of the tooth part and other parts to martensite. A flexible externally toothed gear can be obtained in which the surface hardness is kept within a prescribed range and the fatigue strength and abrasion resistance are high.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2015Date of Patent: January 23, 2018Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Daisuke Orii
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Publication number: 20170370457Abstract: An internal contact part of a wave generator of a strain wave gearing, a contact part between an externally toothed gear and the wave generator, and tooth surface parts are lubricated by a lubricating fine powder. When the strain wave gearing is in operation, the lubricating fine powder is supplied to the internal contact part and the contact part by a first powder guide that rotates integrally with the wave generator. Having passed through these sections, the lubricating fine powder is supplied to the tooth surface parts by a second powder guide that rotates integrally with the wave generator. Each component part can be reliably lubricated regardless of the orientation of the strain wave gearing during operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 13, 2015Publication date: December 28, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170350497Abstract: A strain wave gearing device has a grease temperature control mechanism for controlling the grease temperature of a portion of grease, of the grease filled inside an externally toothed gear of the strain wave gearing device, the portion of the grease being disposed on the outer peripheral side portion of a wave generator. The grease temperature control mechanism has a circular heater facing the outer peripheral side portion of the wave generator over the entire circumference from a direction of a device central axis line. By controlling the grease temperature of a specified portion inside the externally toothed gear, it is possible to reliably start the strain wave gearing device even in an extremely low temperature environment where the grease solidifies.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: December 7, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170335941Abstract: A boss-side fastening surface formed in a boss of a flexible externally toothed gear of a strain wave gearing and a shaft-side fastening surface of an output shaft are coaxially fastened with bolts. The boss-side fastening surface is a convex-side fastening surface defined by two symmetrical inclined surfaces that are intersected at a prescribed angle to form a ridge line on a diameter line of the surface. The shaft-side fastening surface is a concave-side fastening surface defined by two symmetrical inclined surfaces that are intersected at a prescribed angle to form a trough line on a diameter line of the surface. The inclination angle of the inclined surfaces is set in the range of 2° to 16°. Transmission torques equal to or larger than those for combined bolt and pin fastening can be secured with bolt-only fastening.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2014Publication date: November 23, 2017Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.Inventors: Tatsuro HOSHINA, Masaru KOBAYASHI, Akira NAGAI
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Publication number: 20170294838Abstract: In a DC-DC voltage conversion device, overheat of a diode element connected in anti-parallel with a semiconductor switching element is a problem, and in order to resolve this, a temperature of a semiconductor switching element of a main conversion circuit is detected, a temperature of a diode element connected in parallel with the semiconductor switching element is calculated using a correction calculation of the detected semiconductor switching element temperature value in accordance with a step-up ratio of the DC-DC voltage conversion device, and diode element overheat protection is carried out in accordance with the calculated temperature value.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2017Publication date: October 12, 2017Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Masaru KOBAYASHI, Matahiko IKEDA, Nobuhiro KIHARA, Kazuhiko OTSUKA, Junichi ABE
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Publication number: 20170271989Abstract: An object of this invention is to obtain a control apparatus and a control method for a DC/DC converter, with which a DC/DC converter can be controlled with superior stability and responsiveness while reducing the size of a storage medium. A calculation value is calculated in accordance with a specific control method using a differential voltage between a target output voltage and an output voltage, whereupon a control calculation value is calculated from the calculation value and an input voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 8, 2016Publication date: September 21, 2017Applicant: Mitsubishi Electric CorporationInventors: Matahiko IKEDA, Mai UENAKA, Yuta KOMATSU, Ryota KONDO, Masaru KOBAYASHI, Nobuhiro KIHARA, Naoki MORITAKE
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Publication number: 20170254403Abstract: A wave generator of a strain wave gearing has a rigid plug provided with an elliptical outer peripheral surface, and a roller bearing. The outer peripheral surface of the plug is provided with a major-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion formed at a major axis position L1, and a minor-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion formed at a minor axis position L2. The major-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion is a tapered surface that is tapered along a center axis line, and the minor-axis-side outer-peripheral surface portion is an inverted tapered surface that is tapered in the opposite direction. An externally toothed gear can be supported and flexed into an elliptical shape without partial contact by using the wave generator in which the roller bearing is used.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2014Publication date: September 7, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170254404Abstract: A strain wave gearing has contact parts which are the portions to be lubricated other than the teeth of an externally toothed gear and an internally toothed gear, the contact parts being respectively lubricated with an inorganic lubricating powder having a lamellar crystal structure. The lubricating powder, during the operation of the strain wave gearing, is crushed between the contact surfaces of each of the contact parts to move and adhere to the contact surfaces, thereby forming thin surface films thereon. Additionally, the powder is thinly spread by pressure and reduced into finer particles to change into a shape which facilitates intrusion into the space between the contact surfaces. By both the fine particles having changed in shape and the surface films, the lubrication of the contact parts is maintained. Neither the fine particles nor the surface films are viscous.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 28, 2014Publication date: September 7, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 9753231Abstract: An optical connector cleaning tool includes a cylindrical connecting portion to which an optical connector is connected, a cleaning unit configured to guide a cleaning thread to a coupling end face of an optical connector plug, and an optical unit having an optical path reaching the optical connector plug. The optical unit includes a lens arranged in a position facing the coupling end face to form one end portion of an optical system, and having a missing portion extending in an optical-axis direction, and an image sensor positioned at the other end of the optical system. The cleaning unit includes a rod-like cleaning tip having a thread passage through which the cleaning thread passes. The cleaning tip is inserted into a hollow portion of the lens having the missing portion extending in the optical-axis direction, such that the cleaning tip is movable in a longitudinal direction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignees: NTT ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION, NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATIONInventors: Toru Miura, Masayuki Murakami, Masaru Kobayashi, Yuichi Higuchi, Joji Yamaguchi
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Publication number: 20170090175Abstract: A microscope apparatus includes an objective and an automatic focusing device. The automatic focusing device is an automatic focusing device of an active type that irradiates a specimen with automatic focusing light via the objective, and the automatic focusing device is configured in such away that an illumination light axis of the automatic focusing light passes through a position distant from an optical axis of the objective.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 20, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Applicant: OLYMPUS CORPORATIONInventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Publication number: 20170082187Abstract: A wave plug of a wave generator of a wave gear device includes: a metallic outer hollow body with an elliptical wave plug outer circumferential surface formed thereon; a metallic inner hollow body with a wave plug inner circumferential surface formed thereon; and an intermediate hollow body sandwiched between the outer hollow body and the inner hollow body. The intermediate hollow body includes CFRP layers. It is possible to implement a light wave plug in which a big hollow portion can be formed while assuring a required rigidity. Using the wave plug makes it possible to implement a light wave gear device which allows jumping to occur at a high load torque and which includes a big hollow portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2014Publication date: March 23, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru KOBAYASHI, Yoshihide KIYOSAWA
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Publication number: 20170016523Abstract: The wave generator of the strain wave gear device comprises: a rigid plug; a roller bearing fitted on the elliptical outer circumferential surface thereof; and first and second cylindrical springs, which press loose rollers that have some play in the radial direction between the outer race and the inner race of the roller bearing against the outer raceway surface. The loose rollers are pressed against the outer raceway surface with a linear contact and roll according to the outer raceway surface. Skewing of the rollers is limited, ensuring smooth rotation of the roller bearing.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 11, 2014Publication date: January 19, 2017Applicant: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru KOBAYASHI, Tatsuro HOSHINA
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Publication number: 20170009868Abstract: A flat strain wave gearing (1) has a mechanism for preventing a flexible externally toothed gear (4) from moving in the direction of the device center axis (1a) with respect to a rigid internally toothed gears (2, 3). The mechanism has an inner-peripheral groove (11) formed on inner teeth (3a) of the internally toothed gear (3), an outer-peripheral groove (12) formed on outer teeth (4a) of the externally toothed gear (4), and a flexible ring (13) mounted between the inner-peripheral groove (11) and the outer-peripheral groove (12). The ring (13) is engageable with groove inner-peripheral surfaces (11a, 11b, 12a, 12b), from the direction of the device center axis (1a), at meshing positions of the both gears (2, 4).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Tatsuro Hoshina
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Publication number: 20170002914Abstract: In a strain wave gearing, external teeth of a flexible externally toothed gear are elastically deformable in a direction in which the tooth thickness of the external teeth decreases. Engagement between internal teeth of a first and a second rigid internally toothed gears and the external teeth is set in an overlapping state in which the external teeth elastically deform and engage in a state in which no gap is present. The tooth profile of the internal teeth is a corrected tooth profile so that no interference occurs between a tooth top portion of the internal teeth and a dedendum portion of the external teeth when the teeth are engaged in the overlapping state. A strain wave gearing capable of minimizing or eliminating tooth engagement backlash is realized.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2015Publication date: January 5, 2017Applicant: Harmonic Drive Systems Inc.Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 9500234Abstract: A fastening friction plate is wedged between the fastening surfaces of two fastening members in order to increase the fastening force between them. The fastening friction plate has a friction plate main body of a fixed thickness, and engaging protuberances having an approximately truncated cone shape formed on the both surfaces of the friction plate main body at a fixed pitch. The friction plate main body and the engaging protuberances are integrally formed by photo-etching into the both surfaces of a steel plate material having a fixed thickness. The hardness of the fastening friction plate is equal to or greater than that of the fastening surfaces of the fastening members.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Tatsuro Hoshina
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Patent number: 9394985Abstract: A strain wave gearing (1) has a flexible externally toothed gear (3) with a boss (7). A boss-side fastening surface (16) formed on the boss is coaxially superposed with a member-side fastening surface (15) of an output member (11), and the boss (7) and the output member are fastened by fastening bolts (13). The bolt tension of the fastening bolts (13) causes the engaging protuberances (20) of the boss-side fastening surface (16) to dig into the member-side fastening surface (15) by a predetermined dig-in depth. A large frictional force is produced in the fastening portions between the flexible externally toothed gear (3) and the output member (11). It is thereby possible to transmit the necessary torque by the bolt tension alone without using pins or a friction sheet together with the fastening bolts.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2013Date of Patent: July 19, 2016Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Tatsuro Hoshina
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Publication number: 20160025145Abstract: A fastening friction plate is wedged between the fastening surfaces of two fastening members in order to increase the fastening force between them. The fastening friction plate has a friction plate main body of a fixed thickness, and engaging protuberances having an approximately truncated cone shape formed on the both surfaces of the friction plate main body at a fixed pitch. The friction plate main body and the engaging protuberances are integrally formed by photo-etching into the both surfaces of a steel plate material having a fixed thickness. The hardness of the fastening friction plate is equal to or greater than that of the fastening surfaces of the fastening members.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2013Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventor: Masaru KOBAYASHI
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Patent number: 9140350Abstract: The interior space of a cup-shaped flexible externally toothed gear of a cup-type wave gear device is divided into a front interior space and a rear interior space by a partition mechanism. A lubricant is filled in the front interior space at the side of a wave generator, to which lubrication is required. The volume of the front interior space is set so that a necessary amount of lubricant is filled. Since the lubricant is not necessary to fill in the entire interior space of the flexible externally toothed gear, the amount of lubricant to be filled can be reduced.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2013Date of Patent: September 22, 2015Assignee: HARMONIC DRIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Masaru Kobayashi, Yuki Honda
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Publication number: 20150253516Abstract: An optical connector cleaning tool includes a cylindrical connecting portion to which an optical connector is connected, a cleaning unit configured to guide a cleaning thread to a coupling end face of an optical connector plug, and an optical unit having an optical path reaching the optical connector plug. The optical unit includes a lens arranged in a position facing the coupling end face to form one end portion of an optical system, and having a missing portion extending in an optical-axis direction, and an image sensor positioned at the other end of the optical system. The cleaning unit includes a rod-like cleaning tip having a thread passage through which the cleaning thread passes. The cleaning tip is inserted into a hollow portion of the lens having the missing portion extending in the optical-axis direction, such that the cleaning tip is movable in a longitudinal direction thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2015Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Toru Miura, Masayuki Murakami, Masaru Kobayashi, Yuichi Higuchi, Joji Yamaguchi