Patents by Inventor Naoki Itazu

Naoki Itazu 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: 11897328
    Abstract: A vehicle electric drive apparatus is provided with a single hydraulic pump and left-side and right-side drive units. The left-side drive unit includes a left-side electric motor and a left-side transmission mechanism. The right-side drive unit includes a right-side electric motor and a right-side transmission mechanism. One of rotary shafts of the left-side transmission mechanism and one of rotary shafts of the right-side transmission mechanism constitute a pair of pump-drive rotary shafts. The single hydraulic pump is connected to the pair of pump-drive rotary shafts through respective one-way clutches, and is to be driven by one of the pump-drive rotary shafts that is rotated at a speed higher than the other of the pump-drive rotary shafts, so as to output a hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Naoki Itazu, Satoshi Kasamai
  • Publication number: 20240011548
    Abstract: A power transmission device according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a first drive unit having a first drive source, a first transmission connected to the first drive source and the driving force to be transmitted, a second drive source, and a second transmission connected to the second drive source and the driving force to be transmitted, and includes a second drive unit arranged in parallel with the first drive unit, and a frictional differential limiting element disposed between the first transmission and the second transmission and limiting a differential between the rotational drive of the first transmission and the rotational drive of the second transmission.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi OKUDA, Naoki ITAZU, Shinichiro ISHIKAWA, Masaya MICHISHITA
  • Publication number: 20230241955
    Abstract: A front/rear-wheel independent drive vehicle includes: (a) a front-wheel drive unit including a front-side drive source configured to drive a front wheel of the vehicle and a front-side transmission mechanism disposed in a power transmission path between the front-side drive source and the front wheel and having a constant gear ratio; and (b) a rear-wheel drive unit including a rear-side drive source configured to drive a rear wheel of the vehicle and a rear-side transmission mechanism disposed in a power transmission path between the rear-side drive source and the rear wheel and having a constant gear ratio. The front-wheel drive unit and the rear-wheel drive unit are spaced apart from each other in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The gear ratio of the rear-side transmission mechanism is higher than the gear ratio of the front-side transmission mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi OKUDA, Naoki ITAZU, Satoshi KASAMAI
  • Publication number: 20230219409
    Abstract: A drive apparatus is for a vehicle that includes left and right wheels. The drive apparatus includes: (a) a left-side gear transmission mechanism disposed between a left-side drive source and the left wheel; and (b) a right-side gear transmission mechanism disposed between a right-side drive source and the right wheel. Each of the left-side and right-side gear transmission mechanisms includes a plurality of rotary shafts and a plurality of gears. The left-side and right-side gear transmission mechanisms are the same as each other in terms of a number of the rotary shafts, a number of the gears and a positional relationship between the gears. Each of the gears of the left-side gear transmission mechanism and a corresponding one of the gears of the right-side gear transmission mechanism are identical with each other and disposed in the same attitude as each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2023
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi OKUDA, Naoki Itazu, Satoshi Kasamai
  • Publication number: 20230191905
    Abstract: A vehicle electric drive apparatus is provided with a single hydraulic pump and left-side and right-side drive units. The left-side drive unit includes a left-side electric motor and a left-side transmission mechanism. The right-side drive unit includes a right-side electric motor and a right-side transmission mechanism. One of rotary shafts of the left-side transmission mechanism and one of rotary shafts of the right-side transmission mechanism constitute a pair of pump-drive rotary shafts. The single hydraulic pump is connected to the pair of pump-drive rotary shafts through respective one-way clutches, and is to be driven by one of the pump-drive rotary shafts that is rotated at a speed higher than the other of the pump-drive rotary shafts, so as to output a hydraulic pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Naoki Itazu, Satoshi Kasamai
  • Publication number: 20230057225
    Abstract: A driving force transmitting device includes an axle housing and a transaxle main body. The axle housing includes a supporting body and two shafts extending in opposite directions from the supporting body. The supporting body has an internal space. The transaxle main body is supported by the supporting body. The axle housing further includes a first breather plug. The first breather plug is fixed to the supporting body and is configured to discharge a gas in the internal space to an outside. The transaxle main body includes a gear mechanism, a case that accommodates the gear mechanism, and a second breather plug. The gear mechanism is configured to transmit a driving force. The second breather plug is fixed to the case and is configured to discharge a gas in the case to the outside. The second breather plug is located in the internal space.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoki ITAZU
  • Patent number: 10465770
    Abstract: In a vehicular power transmitting system, a fixing portion of a brake retaining portion receives a reaction force from a reverse drive brake and is located in a portion of a circumference of the brake retaining portion, which is outside a predetermined circumferential portion close to the shifting shaft support portion and is defined by a pair of lines tangent to a circumference of the shifting shaft and parallel to a straight line connecting first and second axes and located on opposite sides of the straight line, as seen in a plane normal to the first axis, where a forward/reverse switching device including the reverse drive brake is disposed on the first axis, and a gear type transmission is disposed on the first axis and the second axis and an outer housing wall and a partition wall radially inwardly extending from the outer housing wall are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori Takeda, Takayuki Teramoto, Naoki Itazu, Kentaro Naruse, Yoshihiro Oishi, Hiroshi Fujita
  • Publication number: 20180306275
    Abstract: In a vehicular power transmitting system, a fixing portion of a brake retaining portion receives a reaction force from a reverse drive brake and is located in a portion of a circumference of the brake retaining portion, which is outside a predetermined circumferential portion close to the shifting shaft support portion and is defined by a pair of lines tangent to a circumference of the shifting shaft and parallel to a straight line connecting first and second axes and located on opposite sides of the straight line, as seen in a plane normal to the first axis, where a forward/reverse switching device including the reverse drive brake is disposed on the first axis, and a gear type transmission is disposed on the first axis and the second axis and an outer housing wall and a partition wall radially inwardly extending from the outer housing wall are provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2018
    Publication date: October 25, 2018
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasunori TAKEDA, Takayuki TERAMOTO, Naoki ITAZU, Kentaro NARUSE, Yoshihiro OISHI, Hiroshi FUJITA
  • Patent number: 9695797
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device includes a pump impeller, a turbine runner, a damper device, a set member, and a centering member. The pump impeller has a pump shell to which torque from a drive source is input. The damper device has a damper input member and a damper output member. The damper input member is connected to an output shaft of the drive source. The damper output member is connected to the pump shell. The set member is fixed to the pump shell, and is connected to the damper output member. Also, the centering member is provided protruding toward the pump shell from the output shaft of the drive source, and is fitted together with the damper input member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO. LTD., EXEDY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Yoichi Nakashima, Takashi Hori, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman
  • Patent number: 9551237
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device has a pump impeller, a turbine runner, damper device, an annular set member and a bearing assembly. The pump impeller has a pump shell. The damper device is provided between a drive source and the pump shell in an axial direction of an output shaft, and has a damper input member that is connected to the drive source, and a damper output member that is connected to the pump shell. The damper output member is connected to the annular set member that is fixed to the pump shell. The damper input member is relatively rotatably supported via the bearing assembly by the annular set member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD., EXEDY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Yoichi Nakashima, Takashi Hori, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman
  • Patent number: 9435389
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device includes a pump impeller, a turbine runner, a damper device, and a ring-shaped annular set member. The pump shell has a rear shell and a front shell that is connected to the rear shell. Also, the ring-shaped annular set member connects the damper output member to the front shell and is fixed to the front shell. An intermediate position between a position of an outer radius of the front shell and a position of a radius of the cylindrical shaft is included in a width (W) of the annular set member in a radial direction of the annular set member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD., EXEDY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoichi Nakashima, Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman, Takashi Hori
  • Patent number: 9366339
    Abstract: A vehicle shift control device includes: a parking lock device selectively switched by driving of an electric motor between a lock position restraining rotation of wheels and a non-lock position not restraining the rotation of the wheels; and an electronic control device controlling the electric motor, the vehicle shift control device providing a parking lock switching control of selectively switching the parking lock device between the lock position and the non-locking position in an activated state of the electronic control device, wherein if the electronic control device is switched from the deactivated state to the activated state, the vehicle shift control device provides a wall abutment control of driving the parking lock device with the electric motor to a mechanical displacement end before starting the provision of the parking lock switching control, and if a temperature of the electric motor is lower than a predefined low-temperature determination value, the vehicle shift control device provides an e
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Kamada, Yoshinobu Nozaki, Naoki Itazu, Yusuke Nakade, Kazumi Endo
  • Patent number: 9309965
    Abstract: A control device of a power transmission device includes a damper absorbing torsional vibration between a fluid transmission device with a lockup clutch and an engine, the power transmission device is disposed with a connecting/disconnecting device capable of connecting and interrupting power transmission on the downstream side of the fluid transmission device, the control device has a lockup engagement control means engaging the lockup clutch while the power transmission is interrupted by the connecting/disconnecting device in a predetermined engine rotation speed range lower than an idle rotation speed when the engine is started, the lockup engagement control means includes: a resonance due to frequency entrainment determination means determining whether a resonance due to frequency entrainment occurs that blocks an increase in an engine rotation speed NE depending on whether a predefined resonance determination time is exceeded by a required start time of the engine or an elapsed time until the engine rota
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Itazu, Toshiya Yamashita, Yoichi Nakashima
  • Publication number: 20150021136
    Abstract: A control device of a power transmission device includes a damper absorbing torsional vibration between a fluid transmission device with a lockup clutch and an engine, the power transmission device is disposed with a connecting/disconnecting device capable of connecting and interrupting power transmission on the downstream side of the fluid transmission device, the control device has a lockup engagement control means engaging the lockup clutch while the power transmission is interrupted by the connecting/disconnecting device in a predetermined engine rotation speed range lower than an idle rotation speed when the engine is started, the lockup engagement control means includes: a resonance due to frequency entrainment determination means determining whether a resonance due to frequency entrainment occurs that blocks an increase in an engine rotation speed NE depending on whether a predefined resonance determination time is exceeded by a required start time of the engine or an elapsed time until the engine rota
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoki Itazu, Toshiya Yamashita, Yoichi Nakashima
  • Patent number: 8887870
    Abstract: A breather device includes a main body that includes a breather chamber with an inner bottom surface; a first communicating portion provided at the main body; a second communicating portion provided at the main body and at a position above the first communicating portion in a vertical direction and away from the first communicating portion in a horizontal direction; and a downward gradient provided at the inner bottom surface of the breather chamber, the downward gradient guides the oil that has entered the breather chamber through the first communicating portion toward the first communicating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoya Okada, Shyusaku Kitamura, Atsushi Nakamura, Naoki Itazu, Toshihiro Fukumasu, Hiromitu Metugi, Masaharu Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20140318294
    Abstract: A vehicle shift control device includes: a parking lock device selectively switched by driving of an electric motor between a lock position restraining rotation of wheels and a non-lock position not restraining the rotation of the wheels; and an electronic control device controlling the electric motor, the vehicle shift control device providing a parking lock switching control of selectively switching the parking lock device between the lock position and the non-locking position in an activated state of the electronic control device, wherein if the electronic control device is switched from the deactivated state to the activated state, the vehicle shift control device provides a wall abutment control of driving the parking lock device with the electric motor to a mechanical displacement end before starting the provision of the parking lock switching control, and if a temperature of the electric motor is lower than a predefined low-temperature determination value, the vehicle shift control device provides an e
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2010
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Kamada, Yoshinobu Nozaki, Naoki Itazu, Yusuke Nakade, Kazumi Endo
  • Publication number: 20140255163
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device has a pump impeller, a turbine runner, damper device, an annular set member and a bearing assembly. The pump impeller has a pump shell. The damper device is provided between a drive source and the pump shell in an axial direction of an output shaft, and has a damper input member that is connected to the drive source, and a damper output member that is connected to the pump shell. The damper output member is connected to the annular set member that is fixed to the pump shell. The damper input member is relatively rotatably supported via the bearing assembly by the annular set member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, EXEDY CORPORATION, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Yoichi Nakashima, Takashi Hori, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman
  • Publication number: 20140238008
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device includes a pump impeller, a turbine runner, a damper device, and a ring-shaped annular set member. The pump shell has a rear shell and a front shell that is connected to the rear shell. Also, the ring-shaped annular set member connects the damper output member to the front shell and is fixed to the front shell. An intermediate position between a position of an outer radius of the front shell and a position of a radius of the cylindrical shaft is included in a width (W) of the annular set member in a radial direction of the annular set member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, EXEDY CORPORATION, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoichi Nakashima, Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman, Takashi Hori
  • Publication number: 20140234093
    Abstract: A vehicular fluid power transmitting device includes a pump impeller, a turbine runner, a damper device, a set member, and a centering member. The pump impeller has a pump shell to which torque from a drive source is input. The damper device has a damper input member and a damper output member. The damper input member is connected to an output shaft of the drive source. The damper output member is connected to the pump shell. The set member is fixed to the pump shell, and is connected to the damper output member. Also, the centering member is provided protruding toward the pump shell from the output shaft of the drive source, and is fitted together with the damper input member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, EXEDY CORPORATION, AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiya Yamashita, Naoki Itazu, Yoichi Nakashima, Takashi Hori, Masaru Ebata, Yasunori Doman
  • Patent number: 8707817
    Abstract: An operating device (40) for a state-changing element that is an embodiment of the present invention includes a detent mechanism (50) for displacing and positioning displacement members (22, 33) included in a state-changing element (10), an actuator (60) for driving the detent mechanism (50), and a control unit (5) that controls the actuator (60).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naoki Itazu, Yoshinobu Nozaki