Patents by Inventor Masayuki Nagaoka

Masayuki Nagaoka 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: 10220872
    Abstract: A steering system includes a fastening mechanism that makes an upper jacket fastened to be held by a lower jacket. In a fastened state of the fastening mechanism, a first tooth member on the upper jacket side is meshed with a second tooth member on the lower jacket side. The second tooth member is connected to the lower jacket via a guide shaft (connecting member) that is fracturable during a secondary collision. During the secondary collision in an unfastened state of the fastening mechanism, a second engagement portion (driving member) that moves in a column axial direction integrally with the upper jacket abuts on the second tooth member in an unmeshed state to fracture the guide shaft, and deforms an impact absorbing member via the second tooth member to absorb an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yoshihara, Yu Myohoji, Atsumune Nagatani, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Publication number: 20180009463
    Abstract: A steering system includes a fastening mechanism that makes an upper jacket fastened to be held by a lower jacket. In a fastened state of the fastening mechanism, a first tooth member on the upper jacket side is meshed with a second tooth member on the lower jacket side. The second tooth member is connected to the lower jacket via a guide shaft (connecting member) that is fracturable during a secondary collision. During the secondary collision in an unfastened state of the fastening mechanism, a second engagement portion (driving member) that moves in a column axial direction integrally with the upper jacket abuts on the second tooth member in an unmeshed state to fracture the guide shaft, and deforms an impact absorbing member via the second tooth member to absorb an impact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihito YOSHIHARA, Yu MYOHOJI, Atsumune NAGATANI, Masayuki NAGAOKA
  • Patent number: 9840269
    Abstract: A steering system includes an insertion shaft that is movable in a tilt direction C along with a column jacket, a first tooth member including a plurality of first teeth aligned along a first linear direction, and a second tooth member including a plurality of second teeth aligned along the first linear direction. A first restriction portion restricts movement of the first tooth member in the first linear direction with respect to an upper bracket. A second restriction portion is movable in the first linear direction and immovable in a second linear direction, with respect to a linear slot in the first tooth member that extends along the first linear direction. The second restriction portion restricts movement of the second tooth member in the second linear direction with respect to the first tooth member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tanaka, Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Masayuki Nagaoka, Yoshihito Yoshihara
  • Patent number: 9840270
    Abstract: In a steering system, a pair of side plates of an upper bracket support first tooth rows each including a plurality of first teeth arranged at a pitch and second tooth rows each including a plurality of second teeth arranged at the pitch. An insertion shaft supports third teeth that can come into and out of contact with the first tooth rows and fourth teeth that can come into and out of contact with the second tooth rows. One pair out of a pair of the tooth tip of each first tooth and the tooth tip of the corresponding second tooth and a pair of the tooth tip of each third tooth and the tooth tip of the corresponding fourth tooth are in the same position in a tilt direction, and the other pair are displaced from each other by a length smaller than the pitch in the tilt direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Hidenobu Tanaka, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 9783222
    Abstract: A steering system includes a lock mechanism and a releasing member. The lock mechanism includes a clamping shaft inserted through insertion holes in side plates, an operation lever that rotationally operates the clamping shaft, a rotational cam coupled to the clamping shaft so as to be rotatable integrally therewith and movable integrally therewith in an axial direction, a first clamping member that moves the rotational cam in the axial direction with respect to the side plates, and a stopper that restricts a rotation range of the clamping shaft. The releasing member includes a fitting portion located between the side plates and fitted on an outer peripheral surface of the clamping shaft so as to provide a clamping margin, and frictionally slides the fitting portion in the axial direction with respect to the clamping shaft when the rotational cam moves in the axial direction with respect to the side plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Hidenobu Tanaka, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 9718490
    Abstract: A steering system includes: a first tooth member provided with a first tooth row that includes a plurality of first teeth each of which has a tooth trace extending in a lateral direction and which are aligned along a tilt direction, the first tooth row being elastically deformable in the lateral direction, and a second tooth member including a second tooth row that includes a plurality of second teeth each of which has a tooth trace extending in the lateral direction and which are aligned along the tilt direction, the second tooth member facing the first tooth member in the lateral direction. The first tooth member is supported by an upper bracket such that the first tooth row is disposed away from the upper bracket in the lateral direction. The second tooth member is movable in the tilt direction along with a column jacket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tanaka, Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Masayuki Nagaoka, Kenichi Aota
  • Patent number: 9604663
    Abstract: A steering system includes: an upper bracket that supports a column jacket so that the column jacket is pivotable about a central shaft; a pair of first tooth rows that are supported by the upper bracket and are arranged side by side in an axial direction; and a tooth member that is pivotable together with the column jacket and is movable in a right-and-left direction. The tooth member has second teeth that are formed in two locations spaced apart from each other in the axial direction and that can mesh with the pair of the first tooth rows. The tooth tip angle of first teeth in one first tooth row of the pair of the first tooth rows is different from the tooth tip angle of the first teeth in the other first tooth row that is more distant from the central shaft than the one first tooth row.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Hidenobu Tanaka, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Publication number: 20170066468
    Abstract: A steering system includes a lock mechanism and a releasing member. The lock mechanism includes a clamping shaft inserted through insertion holes in side plates, an operation lever that rotationally operates the clamping shaft, a rotational cam coupled to the clamping shaft so as to be rotatable integrally therewith and movable integrally therewith in an axial direction, a first clamping member that moves the rotational cam in the axial direction with respect to the side plates, and a stopper that restricts a rotation range of the clamping shaft. The releasing member includes a fitting portion located between the side plates and fitted on an outer peripheral surface of the clamping shaft so as to provide a clamping margin, and frictionally slides the fitting portion in the axial direction with respect to the clamping shaft when the rotational cam moves in the axial direction with respect to the side plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Hidenobu TANAKA, Masayuki NAGAOKA
  • Patent number: 9580100
    Abstract: A steering system includes an upper bracket having a first tooth row, a rigid tooth member, a second tooth row provided on the tooth member, a first moving member, and an elastic member disposed between the tooth member and the first moving member. The first tooth row includes a plurality of first teeth. The second tooth row includes a plurality of second teeth. The elastic member exerts a constant restoration force. The second tooth row meshes with the first tooth row when the first teeth and the second teeth are alternately arranged in a tilt direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Atsumune Nagatani, Hidenobu Tanaka, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Publication number: 20170008549
    Abstract: A steering system includes: an upper bracket that supports a column jacket so that the column jacket is pivotable about a central shaft; a pair of first tooth rows that are supported by the upper bracket and are arranged side by side in an axial direction; and a tooth member that is pivotable together with the column jacket and is movable in a right-and-left direction. The tooth member has second teeth that are formed in two locations spaced apart from each other in the axial direction and that can mesh with the pair of the first tooth rows. The tooth tip angle of first teeth in one first tooth row of the pair of the first tooth rows is different from the tooth tip angle of the first teeth in the other first tooth row that is more distant from the central shaft than the one first tooth row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Hidenobu TANAKA, Masayuki NAGAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170008547
    Abstract: In a steering system, a pair of side plates of an upper bracket support first tooth rows each including a plurality of first teeth arranged at a pitch and second tooth rows each including a plurality of second teeth arranged at the pitch. An insertion shaft supports third teeth that can come into and out of contact with the first tooth rows and fourth teeth that can come into and out of contact with the second tooth rows. One pair out of a pair of the tooth tip of each first tooth and the tooth tip of the corresponding second tooth and a pair of the tooth tip of each third tooth and the tooth tip of the corresponding fourth tooth are in the same position in a tilt direction, and the other pair are displaced from each other by a length smaller than the pitch in the tilt direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Hidenobu TANAKA, Masayuki NAGAOKA
  • Publication number: 20170008546
    Abstract: A steering system includes an insertion shaft that is movable in a tilt direction C along with a column jacket, a first tooth member including a plurality of first teeth aligned along a first linear direction, and a second tooth member including a plurality of second teeth aligned along the first linear direction. A first restriction portion restricts movement of the first tooth member in the first linear direction with respect to an upper bracket. A second restriction portion is movable in the first linear direction and immovable in a second linear direction, with respect to a linear slot in the first tooth member that extends along the first linear direction. The second restriction portion restricts movement of the second tooth member in the second linear direction with respect to the first tooth member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu TANAKA, Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Masayuki NAGAOKA, Yoshihito YOSHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20170008548
    Abstract: A steering system includes: a first tooth member provided with a first tooth row that includes a plurality of first teeth each of which has a tooth trace extending in a lateral direction and which are aligned along a tilt direction, the first tooth row being elastically deformable in the lateral direction, and a second tooth member including a second tooth row that includes a plurality of second teeth each of which has a tooth trace extending in the lateral direction and which are aligned along the tilt direction, the second tooth member facing the first tooth member in the lateral direction. The first tooth member is supported by an upper bracket such that the first tooth row is disposed away from the upper bracket in the lateral direction. The second tooth member is movable in the tilt direction along with a column jacket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu TANAKA, Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Masayuki NAGAOKA, Kenichi AOTA
  • Patent number: 9446781
    Abstract: In a steering system configured such that occurrence of a half lock is suppressed, when a body portion of a tooth member is pressed in a lock operation of locking the position of a steering column, the tooth member is extended to move a pair of second tooth row forming portions away from each other obliquely with respect to a lateral direction of an elongate tilt hole along the outer surface of a fastening side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu Tanaka, Masayuki Nagaoka, Hiromitsu Tomiyama, Atsumune Nagatani
  • Patent number: 9415793
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a first member which rotates together with an operation lever which is operated to rotate and a third member which is supported rotatably via a friction reducing mechanism by a second member which is restricted from rotating. A cam mechanism which brings a fixed side plate into press contact with a column side plate includes an axially facing surface which is provided on the first member and on which a cam surface is formed, an axially facing surface which is provided on the third member, rolling elements which are interposed between both the axially facing surfaces, and a retainer which holds the rolling elements and which is restricted from rotating by the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuro Kubota, Yoshihito Yoshihara, Eiji Tanaka, Tomonori Sugiura, Ryota Okano, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Publication number: 20160176433
    Abstract: A movable teeth row formed member is supported so as not only to move together with an operation shaft in a position adjusting direction but also to rotate around a pivot shaft which is parallel to the operation shaft in a first rotating direction and a second rotating direction. A lock biasing mechanism causes the movable teeth row formed member in the first rotating direction via an elastic member as an operation lever is operated to rotate in a locking direction, so that a movable teeth row is caused to move towards a fixed teeth row for meshing engagement with the fixed teeth row.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryota OKANO, Masayuki NAGAOKA, Yota UESAKA
  • Publication number: 20160159387
    Abstract: Provided is a steering device including a hollow upper jacket that accommodates a steering shaft, a first engagement member, a rotary shaft that extends in a direction intersecting an axial direction of the steering shaft, and a second engagement member that is a component independent from the rotary shaft. The first engagement member has an engagement hole and is attached to the upper jacket. The second engagement member has an engagement projection which is engageable with the engagement hole. The second engagement member is movable between a lock position where the engagement projection engages with the engagement hole and a release position where the engagement projection is disengaged from the engagement hole, in accordance with a rotation of the rotary shaft. A vertical direction of the second engagement member between the lock position and the release position is different from a rotating direction of the rotary shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Ryota OKANO, Masayuki NAGAOKA, Susumu IMAGAKI, Michiaki YAMAOKA, Yota UESAKA
  • Publication number: 20160144885
    Abstract: In a steering system configured such that occurrence of a half lock is suppressed, when a body portion of a tooth member is pressed in a lock operation of locking the position of a steering column, the tooth member is extended to move a pair of second tooth row forming portions away from each other obliquely with respect to a lateral direction of an elongate tilt hole along the outer surface of a fastening side plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hidenobu TANAKA, Masayuki NAGAOKA, Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Atsumune NAGATANI
  • Publication number: 20160144886
    Abstract: A steering system includes an upper bracket having a first tooth row, a rigid tooth member, a second tooth row provided on the tooth member, a first moving member, and an elastic member disposed between the tooth member and the first moving member. The first tooth row includes a plurality of first teeth. The second tooth row includes a plurality of second teeth. The elastic member exerts a constant restoration force. The second tooth row meshes with the first tooth row when the first teeth and the second teeth are alternately arranged in a tilt direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Hiromitsu TOMIYAMA, Atsumune NAGATANI, Hidenobu TANAKA, Masayuki NAGAOKA
  • Publication number: 20160107676
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a first member which rotates together with an operation lever which is operated to rotate and a third member which is supported rotatably via a friction reducing mechanism by a second member which is restricted from rotating. A cam mechanism which brings a fixed side plate into press contact with a column side plate includes an axially facing surface which is provided on the first member and on which a cam surface is formed, an axially facing surface which is provided on the third member, rolling elements which are interposed between both the axially facing surfaces, and a retainer which holds the rolling elements and which is restricted from rotating by the second member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Publication date: April 21, 2016
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuro KUBOTA, Yoshihito YOSHIHARA, Eiji TANAKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Ryota OKANO, Masayuki NAGAOKA