Patents by Inventor Munehiro TODA

Munehiro TODA 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: 9381969
    Abstract: A forged head pipe for a motorcycle frame is integrally formed and includes a main frame attachment portion, a pipe portion, and a lower extension extending downwardly from the pipe portion. A down frame attachment portion is provided on the lower extension, and is spaced away from the main frame attachment portion and the pipe portion. A down frame is welded to the down frame attachment portion by contacting the same without inserting the same. The down frame attachment portion is configured from a connecting portion, extending in parallel to the pipe portion, and an extension extending rearwardly from a lower end portion of the connecting portion. By eliminating an insertion socket, manufacturing cost is reduced, and welding quality is improved by spacing the down frame downwardly below the main frame attachment portion and the pipe portion, to which a high load is applied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Munehiro Toda
  • Patent number: 9359037
    Abstract: A front suspension structure includes a head pipe; an upper arm portion having a front end portion connected to the head pipe rockably about a first coupling axis and a rear end portion connected to a vehicle body frame rockably about a second coupling axis; and a lower arm portion disposed below the upper arm portion, and having a front end portion connected to the head pipe rockably about a third coupling axis and a rear end portion connected to the vehicle body frame rockably about a fourth coupling axis. The structure includes a cushion unit making a lower end portion perform a stroke as the lower arm portion rocks; the lower end portion supported in front of a middle point of a segment connecting the third coupling axis to the fourth coupling axis, and an upper end portion supported in a rear of the second coupling axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kuwabara, Jun Ishikawa, Munehiro Toda
  • Publication number: 20150274249
    Abstract: A front suspension structure includes a head pipe; an upper arm portion having a front end portion connected to the head pipe rockably about a first coupling axis and a rear end portion connected to a vehicle body frame rockably about a second coupling axis; and a lower arm portion disposed below the upper arm portion, and having a front end portion connected to the head pipe rockably about a third coupling axis and a rear end portion connected to the vehicle body frame rockably about a fourth coupling axis. The structure includes a cushion unit making a lower end portion perform a stroke as the lower arm portion rocks; the lower end portion supported in front of a middle point of a segment connecting the third coupling axis to the fourth coupling axis, and an upper end portion supported in a rear of the second coupling axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Kuwabara, Jun Ishikawa, Munehiro Toda
  • Patent number: 8967090
    Abstract: A saddle-ride vehicle includes a radiator body having a first radiator and a second radiator each including a core composed of radiating fins and tubes, alternately laminated. The radiator body is disposed forward of an engine while sandwiching a down tube between the first and second radiators in a vehicle left-right direction with the down tube extending rearwardly and downwardly of a head pipe. The radiator bodies and an exhaust pipe connected to the engine are disposed in an overlapping manner when the vehicle is viewed in a plan view. The lower tank of the first radiator include an inlet for the coolant from a lower communicating radiator hose that allows coolant to flow from the lower tank of the second radiator and an outlet for the coolant to a lower end radiator hose that is connected from the lower tank of the first radiator to the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Inoue, Munehiro Toda
  • Patent number: 8955629
    Abstract: A radiator structure includes a radiator body having a core composed of radiating fins and cooling water passing tubes alternately laminated and a bracket disposed at one end of the core. The bracket includes an extension portion disposed at a vehicle widthwise inner end of the core and extending along a vehicle front-rear direction. The extension portion has a fixing portion on a leading end thereof, the fixing portion being fixed to a mounting portion of a body frame. An indentation is provided in a portion of an opposed sidewall where a front end of the core and the opposed sidewall of the bracket overlap each other when the vehicle is viewed from the side and which overlaps the fixing portion at least in the vehicle front-rear direction. The indentation is formed by bending the opposed sidewall in a direction away from the front end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munehiro Toda, Katsutaka Hattori, Masaomi Yamada, Yusuke Inoue
  • Publication number: 20150035249
    Abstract: A forged head pipe for a motorcycle frame is integrally formed and includes a main frame attachment portion, a pipe portion, and a lower extension extending downwardly from the pipe portion. A down frame attachment portion is provided on the lower extension, and is spaced away from the main frame attachment portion and the pipe portion. A down frame is welded to the down frame attachment portion by contacting the same without inserting the same. The down frame attachment portion is configured from a connecting portion, extending in parallel to the pipe portion, and an extension extending rearwardly from a lower end portion of the connecting portion. By eliminating an insertion socket, manufacturing cost is reduced, and welding quality is improved by spacing the down frame downwardly below the main frame attachment portion and the pipe portion, to which a high load is applied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2014
    Publication date: February 5, 2015
    Inventor: Munehiro TODA
  • Patent number: 8776933
    Abstract: A vehicle body frame of a motorcycle includes a head pipe, a pair of main frame sections extending rearwardly from the head pipe, a pair of pivot plates joined to end portions of the main frame sections, and a crossmember arranged between the pivot plates. In such vehicle body frame, the crossmember is arranged between upper end portions of the pivot plates such that the upper end portions of the pivot plates are sandwiched between the crossmember and rear end portions of main frame sections so that at least a portion of the crossmember overlaps a joint portion between the main frame sections and the pivot plates as viewed in a side view. Such structure of the vehicle body frame ensures the rigidity of connecting portions where the crossmember is connected to pivot plates without making the vehicle body frame heavy and thick.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munehiro Toda, Akira Hosono, Ryo Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 8776924
    Abstract: An intake system for a vehicle includes a connecting tube disposed to bypass one side of a rear shock absorber. The capacity of the intake chamber is increased to achieve an improvement in intake performance and to reduce the influence of a liquid intake-spitting component on intake air. The connecting tube is formed to include a tubular main tube portion and a funnel portion installed integrally and consecutively with the main tube portion. The funnel portion has a funnel-shape that broadens as it nears the air cleaner with an opening of the main tube portion on the upstream end. An intake chamber serving as part of a purified-air chamber formed between the funnel portion and the cleaner case is formed at least below the main tube portion. A drain member is provided with the lower portion of the funnel portion to communicate with the lowest portion of the intake chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yusuke Inoue, Yusaburo Tani, Munehiro Toda
  • Patent number: 8668218
    Abstract: A head pipe includes a pipe portion and a bracket portion contiguously formed on a rear portion of the pipe portion wherein front end portions of the main frames and a front end portion of the down frame are jointed to the bracket portion. A widthwise center line of the main frames in the vertical direction is directed toward an intermediate portion of the pipe portion in the vertical direction in a side view. An upper surface extension line and a lower surface extension line on the extension in the frontward direction of an upper surface and a lower surface of the main frames pass between an upper end and a lower end of the pipe portion as viewed in a side view. The down frame is inclined to be directed towards the intermediate portion of the pipe portion in the vertical direction as viewed in a side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Munehiro Toda, Akira Hosono, Ryo Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20130240277
    Abstract: An intake system for a vehicle includes a connecting tube disposed to bypass one side of a rear shock absorber. The capacity of the intake chamber is increased to achieve an improvement in intake performance and to reduce the influence of a liquid intake-spitting component on intake air. The connecting tube is formed to include a tubular main tube portion and a funnel portion installed integrally and consecutively with the main tube portion. The funnel portion has a funnel-shape that broadens as it nears the air cleaner with an opening of the main tube portion on the upstream end. An intake chamber serving as part of a purified-air chamber formed between the funnel portion and the cleaner case is formed at least below the main tube portion. A drain member is provided with the lower portion of the funnel portion to communicate with the lowest portion of the intake chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 19, 2013
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yusuke INOUE, Yusaburo TANI, Munehiro TODA
  • Publication number: 20120205179
    Abstract: A vehicle body frame of a motorcycle includes a head pipe, a pair of main frame sections extending rearwardly from the head pipe, a pair of pivot plates joined to end portions of the main frame sections, and a crossmember arranged between the pivot plates. In such vehicle body frame, the crossmember is arranged between upper end portions of the pivot plates such that the upper end portions of the pivot plates are sandwiched between the crossmember and rear end portions of main frame sections so that at least a portion of the crossmember overlaps a joint portion between the main frame sections and the pivot plates as viewed in a side view. Such structure of the vehicle body frame ensures the rigidity of connecting portions where the crossmember is connected to pivot plates without making the vehicle body frame heavy and thick.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Munehiro TODA, Akira HOSONO, Ryo KOBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20120205890
    Abstract: A head pipe includes a pipe portion and a bracket portion contiguously formed on a rear portion of the pipe portion wherein front end portions of the main frames and a front end portion of the down frame are jointed to the bracket portion. A widthwise center line of the main frames in the vertical direction is directed toward an intermediate portion of the pipe portion in the vertical direction in a side view. An upper surface extension line and a lower surface extension line on the extension in the frontward direction of an upper surface and a lower surface of the main frames pass between an upper end and a lower end of the pipe portion as viewed in a side view. The down frame is inclined to be directed towards the intermediate portion of the pipe portion in the vertical direction as viewed in a side view.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventors: Munehiro TODA, Akira Hosono, Ryo Kobayashi