Patents by Inventor Naoki Tomiyama
Naoki Tomiyama 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).
-
Publication number: 20120241273Abstract: The lockup device includes a piston that is coupled to a front cover, a drive plate coupled to the piston, a plurality of outer peripheral-side torsion springs to which torque is inputted from the drive plate, and a float member that is arranged on the turbine side of the outer peripheral-side torsion springs and serves to make two of the outer peripheral-side torsion springs operate in series The float member has a main body portion and an inner peripheral support portion. The main body portion covers an outer peripheral portion and a turbine-side side portion of the outer peripheral-side torsion springs. The inner peripheral support portion extends from the main body section toward an inner periphery and supported on an output side of the intermediate member.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2010Publication date: September 27, 2012Applicant: EXEDY CORPORATIONInventors: Yuki Kawahara, Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 7980370Abstract: A lockup device 7 of a torque converter 1 is formed of a piston 75, a clutch plate 80, and a damper mechanism 9. The clutch plate 80 has a first passage P1 connecting an inner space S3 on the radially inner side to a space S1 formed axially between the front cover 11 and the clutch plate 80, and a second passage P2 connecting the inner space S3 formed on the radially inner side to a space S2 formed axially between the piston and the clutch plate 80.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 2008Date of Patent: July 19, 2011Assignee: EXEDY CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20110011691Abstract: A lockup device has a piston, an input member, and a damper mechanism. The damper mechanism has a plurality of first elastic members, a plurality of second elastic members, an intermediate member, and an output member. The intermediate member supports the first and second elastic members such that the first and second elastic members operate in series and can undergo elastic deformation in a rotational direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: EXEDY CORPORATIONInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20100089046Abstract: A lockup device (7) of a torque converter (1) has a piston (75), a piston linking mechanism (76), a clutch plate (71), and a damper mechanism (9). The piston linking mechanism (76) links the piston (75) to a front cover (11) rotatably in the rotational direction and movably in the axial direction, and restricts movement of the piston (75) to a turbine (22) side to within a specific range.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2007Publication date: April 15, 2010Applicant: EXEDY CORPORATIONInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20090011902Abstract: A lockup device 7 of a torque converter 1 is formed of a piston 75, a clutch plate 80, and a damper mechanism 9. The clutch plate 80 has a first passage P1 connecting an inner space S3 on the radially inner side to a space S1 formed axially between the front cover 11 and the clutch plate 80, and a second passage P2 connecting the inner space S3 formed on the radially inner side to a space S2 formed axially between the piston and the clutch plate 80.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 15, 2008Publication date: January 8, 2009Applicant: EXEDY CorporationInventor: Naoki TOMIYAMA
-
Patent number: 7360633Abstract: A lockup device 5 includes a damper mechanism 7, a plate 56, a plate 57, a piston 51, and a plate 59. The damper mechanism 7 has a plate 52 rotating together with the turbine 10, and plates 53 and 54 rotatable with respect to the plate 52. The plate 56 is unrotatable and axially movable with respect to the plates 53 and 54. The plate 57 is unrotatable and axially movable with respect to the front cover 2, and is arranged on the turbine side of the plate 52. The piston 51 is arranged on the turbine side of the plate 56, and is elastically and unrotatably coupled in an axial direction to the plates 53 and 54 through the plate 59.Type: GrantFiled: September 12, 2005Date of Patent: April 22, 2008Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20070246317Abstract: A lock-up device 5 includes a piston 51 axially movably and rotatably supported by the turbine 10, a damper mechanism 7 that elastically connects the piston 51 with the turbine 10 in the rotational direction, a first friction plate 56 located between the front cover 2 and the piston 51 and axially movably and non-rotatably supported by the piston 51, and a second friction plate 57 located between the piston 51 and the first friction plate 56. The second friction plate 57 is axially movably and non-rotatably supported by the front cover 2.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2007Publication date: October 25, 2007Applicant: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 7222706Abstract: In a lockup device, a drive plate has a frictional coupling portion adjacent to a friction surface, and can provide torque to a turbine. The piston is a disk-like member arranged between a front cover and the turbine, has a pressing portion arranged on a side of the frictional coupling portion remote from a friction surface, and is axially movable according to a change in hydraulic pressure. The piston coupling mechanism unrotatably and axially movably couples the piston to the front cover. A seal mechanism seals a portion radially inside the piston at its axially opposite sides. The damper mechanism is arranged in a space axially between the front cover and the turbine, and is located radially between a drive plate and a seal mechanism. The piston coupling mechanism is arranged radially inside the seal mechanism.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2005Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20060243551Abstract: A lockup device 5 includes a damper mechanism 7, a plate 56, a plate 57, a piston 51, and a plate 59. The damper mechanism 7 has a plate 52 rotating together with the turbine 10, and plates 53 and 54 rotatable with respect to the plate 52. The plate 56 is unrotatable and axially movable with respect to the plates 53 and 54. The plate 57 is unrotatable and axially movable with respect to the front cover 2, and is arranged on the turbine side of the plate 52. The piston 51 is arranged on the turbine side of the plate 56, and is elastically and unrotatably coupled in an axial direction to the plates 53 and 54 through the plate 59.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 12, 2005Publication date: November 2, 2006Applicant: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20050211521Abstract: In a lockup device, a drive plate has a frictional coupling portion adjacent to a friction surface, and can provide torque to a turbine. The piston is a disk-like member arranged between a front cover and the turbine, has a pressing portion arranged on a side of the frictional coupling portion remote from a friction surface, and is axially movable according to a change in hydraulic pressure. The piston coupling mechanism unrotatably and axially movably couples the piston to the front cover. A seal mechanism seals a portion radially inside the piston at its axially opposite sides. The damper mechanism is arranged in a space axially between the front cover and the turbine, and is located radially between a drive plate and a seal mechanism. The piston coupling mechanism is arranged radially inside the seal mechanism.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 9, 2005Publication date: September 29, 2005Applicant: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 6938744Abstract: A lockup device 7 is provided with a clutch mechanism, an elastic coupling mechanism, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The piston coupling mechanism 76 has a piston pilot 78 and a return plate 79 and serves to couple the piston 75 and a front cover 11. The piston pilot 78 is fixed to the front cover 11 and supports the piston 75. The axially deformable return plate 79 is disposed between the front cover 11 and the piston 75. The elastic coupling mechanism is provided with a plurality of torsion springs 73, a spring holder 71, a driven plate 72, and a drive plate 74. A plurality of slit holes 71d each having a width that is larger than the width W1 of the first claw parts 72b are formed in the annular part 71a at positions corresponding to those of the first claw parts 72b.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2003Date of Patent: September 6, 2005Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 6899210Abstract: A piston coupling mechanism in a lockup device having a piston that presses the friction coupling part of a clutch mechanism against the front cover of a fluid-type torque transmission device is provided reduce the amount of work required for assembly. The piston coupling mechanism 76 of the lockup device 7 functions to couple the piston 75 to the front cover 11 such that it rotate integrally with the front cover 11 while being movable in the axial direction. The piston coupling mechanism 76 has a piston lug plate 83, a cover lug plate 84, and a return plate 85. The piston lug plate 83 and the cover lug plate 84 mate in such a manner that they can move in the axial direction but cannot rotate relative to each other. The return plate 85 can apply an axial force against the piston 75 directed toward the transmission and can also limit the axial movement of the piston 75 toward the transmission.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: May 31, 2005Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 6866129Abstract: A lockup device 7 having a dual friction surface to make it possible to arrange a friction coupling part on the outside with respect to the radial direction is provided. The lockup device 7 has a clutch plate 71, a drive plate 72, a driven plate 73, a plurality of torsion springs 74, a spring holder 80, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The piston 75 radially extends to the position of a friction coupling part 71c of the clutch plate 71. The mounting radius of the torsion springs 74 is shorter than a radius extending to the radial position of the outer circumferential edge of the piston 75 or the friction coupling part 71c. The protrusions 72d of the drive plate 72 mate with the recessions 71e of the clutch plate 71 at a radial position that is farther from the rotational axis than mounting radius of the torsion springs 74.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: March 15, 2005Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 6837347Abstract: A lockup device 7 is provided with a plurality of friction surfaces to absorb and damp torsional vibrations to increase capacity. The lockup device 7 functions both as a clutch and as an elastic coupling mechanism. The lockup device 7 has a clutch plate 71, a drive plate 72, a driven plate 73, a plurality of torsion springs 74, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The clutch plate 71 has a friction coupling part 71c and a cylindrical part 71b for bearing the centrifugal load of the torsion springs 74. The internal surface of the cylindrical part 71b of the clutch plate 71 bears the radially outward facing part of each torsion spring 74 directly. More specifically, the outward facing parts of the torsion springs 74 are born by increasing only the thickness of the cylindrical part 71b of the clutch plate 71.Type: GrantFiled: February 28, 2003Date of Patent: January 4, 2005Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20040216972Abstract: A lockup device includes a piston, a clutch plate and an annular coupling member. The piston has a pushing portion opposed to a friction surface of a front cover, and an engagement portion projecting from a portion radially outside the pushing portion toward a front cover. The clutch plate is axially movably and non-rotatably engaged with the engagement portion, and has a frictional coupling portion arranged axially between the friction surface and the pushing portion. The coupling member has an axially flexible body fixed to the front cover, and a pressure-contact portion provided at a radially outer end of the body and arranged axially between the frictional coupling portion and the pushing portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2004Publication date: November 4, 2004Applicant: Exedy CorporationInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20040055841Abstract: A lockup device 7 is provided with a clutch mechanism, an elastic coupling mechanism, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The piston coupling mechanism 76 has a piston pilot 78 and a return plate 79 and serves to couple the piston 75 and a front cover 11. The piston pilot 78 is fixed to the front cover 11 and supports the piston 75. The axially deformable return plate 79 is disposed between the front cover 11 and the piston 75. The elastic coupling mechanism is provided with a plurality of torsion springs 73, a spring holder 71, a driven plate 72, and a drive plate 74. A plurality of slit holes 71d each having a width that is larger than the width W1 of the first claw parts 72b are formed in the annular part 71a at positions corresponding to those of the first claw parts 72b.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2003Publication date: March 25, 2004Applicant: EXEDY CORPORATIONInventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20030173176Abstract: A lockup device 7 is provided with a plurality of friction surfaces to absorb and damp torsional vibrations to increase capacity. The lockup device 7 functions both as a clutch and as an elastic coupling mechanism. The lockup device 7 has a clutch plate 71, a drive plate 72, a driven plate 73, a plurality of torsion springs 74, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The clutch plate 71 has a friction coupling part 71c and a cylindrical part 71b for bearing the centrifugal load of the torsion springs 74. The internal surface of the cylindrical part 71b of the clutch plate 71 bears the radially outward facing part of each torsion spring 74 directly. More specifically, the outward facing parts of the torsion springs 74 are born by increasing only the thickness of the cylindrical part 71b of the clutch plate 71.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20030173177Abstract: A lockup device 7 having a dual friction surface to make it possible to arrange a friction coupling part on the outside with respect to the radial direction is provided. The lockup device 7 has a clutch plate 71, a drive plate 72, a driven plate 73, a plurality of torsion springs 74, a spring holder 80, a piston 75, and a piston coupling mechanism 76. The piston 75 radially extends to the position of a friction coupling part 71c of the clutch plate 71. The mounting radius of the torsion springs 74 is shorter than a radius extending to the radial position of the outer circumferential edge of the piston 75 or the friction coupling part 71c. The protrusions 72d of the drive plate 72 mate with the recessions 71e of the clutch plate 71 at a radial position that is farther from the rotational axis than mounting radius of the torsion springs 74.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Publication number: 20030173175Abstract: A piston coupling mechanism in a lockup device having a piston that presses the friction coupling part of a clutch mechanism against the front cover of a fluid-type torque transmission device is provided reduce the amount of work required for assembly. The piston coupling mechanism 76 of the lockup device 7 functions to couple the piston 75 to the front cover 11 such that it rotate integrally with the front cover 11 while being movable in the axial direction. The piston coupling mechanism 76 has a piston lug plate 83, a cover lug plate 84, and a return plate 85. The piston lug plate 83 and the cover lug plate 84 mate in such a manner that they can move in the axial direction but cannot rotate relative to each other. The return plate 85 can apply an axial force against the piston 75 directed toward the transmission and can also limit the axial movement of the piston 75 toward the transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 28, 2003Publication date: September 18, 2003Inventor: Naoki Tomiyama
-
Patent number: 6571929Abstract: A torque converter is provided with a lockup device that functions as a clutch and as an elastic coupling mechanism. In one embodiment, the lockup device is configured to eliminate an outer cylindrical portion from its piston. Preferably, a spring holder has an outer portion arranged radially outside the torsion springs, while a drive plate has a cylindrical portion restricting radial movement of the spring holder. In other embodiments, the elastic coupling mechanism is configured with a sufficient number of sets of elastic members that act together in the rotational direction as if they were arranged end to end. The elastic coupling mechanism has one set of springs disposed radially inward of another set of springs. A spring holder connects first and second sets of springs such that the first and second sets of springs act together in the rotational direction as if they were arranged end to end.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 2001Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Exedy CorporationInventors: Naoki Tomiyama, Shinji Fujimoto