Patents by Inventor Mitsuo Kodama

Mitsuo Kodama 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: 12079025
    Abstract: An input device includes: a rotating member that rotates about a predetermined rotation axis; and a mover that includes a protrusion protruding toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member and moves in a direction different from a rotation direction of the rotating member along with rotation of the rotating member. The protrusion protrudes toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member. The rotating member includes a first projection and a second projection that project from the inner peripheral surface toward the mover. The protrusion of the mover is inclined with respect to the predetermined rotation axis and disposed between the first projection and the second projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: Panasonic Automotive Systems Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mayuko Okada, Hidekatsu Natami, Toshio Osawa, Daiki Kaburagi, Mitsuo Kodama
  • Publication number: 20230077897
    Abstract: An input device includes: a rotating member that rotates about a predetermined rotation axis; and a mover that includes a protrusion protruding toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member and moves in a direction different from a rotation direction of the rotating member along with rotation of the rotating member. The protrusion protrudes toward an inner peripheral surface of the rotating member. The rotating member includes a first projection and a second projection that project from the inner peripheral surface toward the mover. The protrusion of the mover is inclined with respect to the predetermined rotation axis and disposed between the first projection and the second projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Mayuko OKADA, Hidekatsu NATAMI, Toshio OSAWA, Daiki KABURAGI, Mitsuo KODAMA
  • Patent number: 10938262
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft extending axially, a stator surrounding a radial outside of the rotor and including a coil defined by a wound coil wire, a holder disposed on an axially upper side of the stator, the coil wire being inserted into the holder, the holder including through-holes extending axially, and a circuit board disposed on the axially upper side of the holder, an electronic component being mounted on the circuit board. When the holder is viewed from the axially upper side, the through-holes are located in a region where a center angle (?) centered on the shaft is less than or equal to 180 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takashi Hattori, Takahiro Kizu, Toshiya Okamoto, Yuichi Nishikawa, Yoshiaki Yamashita, Mitsuo Kodama, Yuya Saito, Shingo Fukumoto, Chiharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10910924
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft centered on a center axis extending vertically, a stator that is radially opposed to the rotor and includes coils, a conductive holder accommodating the rotor and the stator and including a penetration unit penetrating axially, and a coil lead wire support that is at least partially disposed in the penetration unit, includes a coil lead wire insertion hole into which coil lead wires extending from the coils are provided, and is made of an insulating material. The coil lead wire support includes a base and a fitting unit extending downward from the base, at least one of a circumferential length and a radial length of the fitting unit being shorter than the base, and the coil lead wire insertion hole is in the base and the fitting unit, and the coil lead wire is inserted into the coil lead wire insertion hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Shunsuke Murakami, Takao Atarashi, Yuya Saito, Shingo Fukumoto, Chiharu Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 10778060
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft, a stator, an upper bearing supporting an upper side of the shaft, a lower bearing supporting a lower side of the shaft, a bearing holder supporting the upper bearing, a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing holder and including an opening on an upper side, and a controller electrically connected to coil lead wires, and having an electronic component mounted thereon. An outer circumferential surface of the bearing holder is fixed while contacting an inner circumferential surface of the housing, and the bearing holder includes a notch cutout extending inward from the outer circumferential surface, and at least one of a the coil lead wires extends upward through the notch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Yuya Saito, Shingo Fukumoto, Chiharu Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20200195097
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft centered on a center axis extending vertically, a stator that is radially opposed to the rotor and includes coils, a conductive holder accommodating the rotor and the stator and including a penetration unit penetrating axially, and a coil lead wire support that is at least partially disposed in the penetration unit, includes a coil lead wire insertion hole into which coil lead wires extending from the coils are provided, and is made of an insulating material. The coil lead wire support includes a base and a fitting unit extending downward from the base, at least one of a circumferential length and a radial length of the fitting unit being shorter than the base, and the coil lead wire insertion hole is in the base and the fitting unit, and the coil lead wire is inserted into the coil lead wire insertion hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Inventors: Mitsuo KODAMA, Shunsuke MURAKAMI, Takao ATARASHI, Yuya SAITO, Shingo FUKUMOTO, Chiharu KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190267862
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft extending axially, a stator surrounding a radial outside of the rotor and including a coil defined by a wound coil wire, a holder disposed on an axially upper side of the stator, the coil wire being inserted into the holder, the holder including through-holes extending axially, and a circuit board disposed on the axially upper side of the holder, an electronic component being mounted on the circuit board. When the holder is viewed from the axially upper side, the through-holes are located in a region where a center angle (?) centered on the shaft is less than or equal to 180 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2017
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Takashi HATTORI, Takahiro KIZU, Toshiya OKAMOTO, Yuichi NISHIKAWA, Yoshiaki YAMASHITA, Mitsuo KODAMA, Yuya SAITO, Shingo FUKUMOTO, Chiharu KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190173350
    Abstract: A motor includes a rotor including a shaft, a stator, an upper bearing supporting an upper side of the shaft, a lower bearing supporting a lower side of the shaft, a bearing holder supporting the upper bearing, a housing accommodating the rotor, the stator, and the bearing holder and including an opening on an upper side, and a controller electrically connected to coil lead wires, and having an electronic component mounted thereon. An outer circumferential surface of the bearing holder is fixed while contacting an inner circumferential surface of the housing, and the bearing holder includes a notch cutout extending inward from the outer circumferential surface, and at least one of the coil lead wires extends upward through the notch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Publication date: June 6, 2019
    Inventors: Mitsuo KODAMA, Yuya SAITO, Shingo FUKUMOTO, Chiharu KOBAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10236745
    Abstract: A circuit board is in the shape of a strip and includes: in one longitudinal end portion thereof, power connection portions connected to an external power supply; in another longitudinal end portion thereof, land portions to which portions of conducting wires drawn out downwardly of a base portion are connected; and pattern portions electrically connected to the power connection portions and the land portions. The land portions include a first land portion, and a second land portion arranged adjacent to the first land portion. The pattern portions include a first pattern portion electrically connected to the first land portion, and a second pattern portion arranged adjacent to the first pattern portion, and electrically connected to the second land portion. The first pattern portion and the second land portion are arranged to overlap with each other when viewed in a widthwise direction of the circuit board.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michihiro Ito, Mitsuo Kodama, Tadashi Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9964148
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing apparatus includes a stationary body, a rotating body, and a lubricating oil arranged therebetween. One of the stationary and rotating bodies includes a shaft. Another one of the stationary and rotating bodies includes a sleeve. The sleeve includes a communicating hole arranged to pass therethrough in an axial direction or obliquely with respect to the axial direction. A groove array is defined in the stationary body or the rotating body to cause the lubricating oil to flow into the communicating hole. An opening area of an inlet of the communicating hole may be arranged to be greater than a cross-sectional area of a tubular portion of the communicating hole to make it easier for the lubricating oil to flow into the communicating hole. Further, the shape of the inlet may be modified to make a loss coefficient at the inlet lower than a loss coefficient at an outlet. This contributes to preventing a leakage of the lubricating oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Nidec Corporation
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kodama
  • Publication number: 20170353076
    Abstract: A circuit board is in the shape of a strip and includes: in one longitudinal end portion thereof, power connection portions connected to an external power supply; in another longitudinal end portion thereof, land portions to which portions of conducting wires drawn out downwardly of a base portion are connected; and pattern portions electrically connected to the power connection portions and the land portions. The land portions include a first land portion, and a second land portion arranged adjacent to the first land portion. The pattern portions include a first pattern portion electrically connected to the first land portion, and a second pattern portion arranged adjacent to the first pattern portion, and electrically connected to the second land portion. The first pattern portion and the second land portion are arranged to overlap with each other when viewed in a widthwise direction of the circuit board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Michihiro ITO, Mitsuo KODAMA, Tadashi HASEGAWA
  • Patent number: 9691436
    Abstract: A case of a disk drive apparatus includes a housing in which a disk is accommodated, and a top cover arranged to close an opening of the housing. The top cover includes a top cover body and a flow control member. The top cover body is a plate-shaped member arranged to extend perpendicularly to a central axis. The flow control member is fixed to a lower surface of the top cover body. The flow control member includes a lower surface arranged axially opposite to at least a portion of an upper surface of the disk.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Hiroyuki Abe, Katsuya Takahashi, Yuya Saito, Masahiro Shiraishi, Yoshinobu Arao
  • Publication number: 20170047097
    Abstract: A case of a disk drive apparatus includes a housing in which a disk is accommodated, and a top cover arranged to close an opening of the housing. The top cover includes a top cover body and a flow control member. The top cover body is a plate-shaped member arranged to extend perpendicularly to a central axis. The flow control member is fixed to a lower surface of the top cover body. The flow control member includes a lower surface arranged axially opposite to at least a portion of an upper surface of the disk.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Mitsuo KODAMA, Hiroyuki ABE, Katsuya TAKAHASHI, Yuya SAITO, Masahiro SHIRAISHI, Yoshinobu ARAO
  • Patent number: 9422974
    Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus includes a stationary member and a rotating member. A bearing surface of the stationary member and a bearing surface of the rotating member are arranged opposite to each other with a minute gap intervening therebetween. A lubricating fluid is arranged in the minute gap. At least one of the bearing surfaces includes a dynamic pressure groove, and a plurality of striations defined in a bottom portion of the dynamic pressure groove. Each of the dynamic pressure groove and the striations is arranged to extend in a direction at an angle greater than 0° to a circumferential direction. An angle defined between each striation and the circumferential direction is equal to or smaller than an angle defined between the dynamic pressure groove and the circumferential direction. Thus, an improvement in a force of dynamic pressure at the dynamic pressure groove is achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: NIDEC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi Saito, Mitsuo Kodama, Junya Mizukami, Yuichi Shigematsu
  • Publication number: 20160223013
    Abstract: A fluid dynamic bearing apparatus includes a stationary body, a rotating body, and a lubricating oil arranged therebetween. One of the stationary and rotating bodies includes a shaft. Another one of the stationary and rotating bodies includes a sleeve. The sleeve includes a communicating hole arranged to pass therethrough in an axial direction or obliquely with respect to the axial direction. A groove array is defined in the stationary body or the rotating body to cause the lubricating oil to flow into the communicating hole. An opening area of an inlet of the communicating hole may be arranged to be greater than a cross-sectional area of a tubular portion of the communicating hole to make it easier for the lubricating oil to flow into the communicating hole. Further, the shape of the inlet may be modified to make a loss coefficient at the inlet lower than a loss coefficient at an outlet. This contributes to preventing a leakage of the lubricating oil.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2015
    Publication date: August 4, 2016
    Inventor: Mitsuo KODAMA
  • Publication number: 20160153490
    Abstract: A fluid bearing apparatus includes a stationary member and a rotating member. A bearing surface of the stationary member and a bearing surface of the rotating member are arranged opposite to each other with a minute gap intervening therebetween. A lubricating fluid is arranged in the minute gap. At least one of the bearing surfaces includes a dynamic pressure groove, and a plurality of striations defined in a bottom portion of the dynamic pressure groove. Each of the dynamic pressure groove and the striations is arranged to extend in a direction at an angle greater than 0° to a circumferential direction. An angle defined between each striation and the circumferential direction is equal to or smaller than an angle defined between the dynamic pressure groove and the circumferential direction. Thus, an improvement in a force of dynamic pressure at the dynamic pressure groove is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventors: Kazuyoshi SAITO, Mitsuo KODAMA, Junya MIZUKAMI, Yuichi SHIGEMATSU
  • Patent number: 9087547
    Abstract: A disk drive device includes a stationary body, a rotating body on which a recording disk is to be mounted, and a fluid bearing unit that supports the rotating body in a freely rotatable manner relative to the stationary body. The fluid bearing unit includes a lubricant that is fluorescent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kodama
  • Patent number: 9082448
    Abstract: A disk drive device comprises a chassis, an annular hub having an outer periphery on which a recording disk is to be mounted, and having an inner periphery to which an annular magnet is fastened, a fluid bearing unit that supports the hub in a manner freely rotatable relative to the chassis, an opposing wall formed annularly on the surface of the chassis at the hub side, and facing with at least partially the inner periphery of the hub in the radial direction, a first gap that extends in the axial direction between the inner periphery of the hub and the opposing wall, and a second gap that is continuous from the first gap and extends in the radial direction between the end face of the hub and the chassis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Ryusuke Sugiki
  • Patent number: 9064531
    Abstract: A rotating apparatus includes a hub, a shaft housing portion having a center through-hole, a base plate, and a shaft with a cylindrical section housed in the through-hole. At a joint between the shaft housing portion and the hub is formed a bonding region for bonding the shaft housing portion and the hub by a hardening resin, and a narrow-gap region more toward the base plate than the bonding region. A gap between the shaft housing portion and the hub in the narrow-gap region is narrower than a gap between the shaft housing portion and the hub in the bonding region. The hub includes a fourth circumferential recessed portion recessed in the axial direction and a lower circumferential raised portion projecting in the axial direction on a radially inner side of the fourth circumferential recessed portion. The narrow-gap region is located inside the lower circumferential raised portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Mitsuo Kodama, Ryusuke Sugiki, Akira Aoi
  • Patent number: 9059618
    Abstract: In a rotating machine, a base is configured such that a housing space is formed by joining a cover to the base and has a bearing hole communicating ambient air and the housing space. A sleeve is fitted into the bearing hole and formed with a porous material. The circumferential lower end portion of the sleeve is exposed to ambient air from the bearing hole. At least part of the pores on the surface of the circumferential lower end portion in contact with ambient air are filled in.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRO-MECHANICS JAPAN ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY, CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Mitsuo Kodama