Patents by Inventor Naotaka Nakura

Naotaka Nakura 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: 6732688
    Abstract: A valve timing control system includes a driving plate, a lever provided to a camshaft, a radial slot formed in the driving plate, an intermediate rotator arranged rotatable with respect to the driving plate and the camshaft and having a spiral slot, and a link having a base end pivotally coupled to the lever and a front end arranged swingably and including a ball engaged with the spiral slot and a block member engaged with the radial slot. The ball has a center of engagement located on a swinging axis of the front end of the link, producing no moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeaki Yamamuro, Masahiko Watanabe, Naotaka Nakura
  • Patent number: 6679209
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus is provided which comprises an intermediate rotary member rotatable relative to a driving rotary member and a driven rotary member and having a spiral guide of a single spiral. Rotation of the intermediate rotary member caused by a control force applying unit causes radial movement of the guided members which is in turn converted to relative rotation between the driving rotary member and the driven rotary member by the links. The spiral of the spiral guide is defined so that a rate of change of spiral radius per angle is not constant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotove, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hibi, Naotaka Nakura
  • Patent number: 6675754
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus including a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member and an intermediate rotary member rotatable relative to the drive and driven rotary members. A follower is moveably engaged with a radial guide of one of the drive and driven rotary members and a spiral guide of the intermediate rotary member. An actuator rotates the intermediate rotary member to allow a movement of the follower along the radial guide which is converted into relative rotation of the drive and driven rotary members via a link coupling the follower with the other of the drive and driven rotary members. A lubricating oil chamber is arranged to surround an engagement portion between the spiral guide and the follower and pivotal connection portions between one end of the link and the other of the drive and driven rotary members and between an opposite end thereof and the follower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masahiko Watanabe, Naotaka Nakura
  • Patent number: 6672265
    Abstract: In a valve timing control system, an intermediate rotator is rotated with respect to a driving plate and a lever shaft to make radial displacement of a ball engaged with a spiral slot of the intermediate rotator along a radial slot. The radial displacement is converted into relative rotation of the driving plate and the lever shaft through a link. A bottomed cylindrical guide member which is rotatably supported by a front end of the link has a base engaged with the spiral slot. The ball engaged with the spiral slot, a retainer for supporting the back of the ball, and a coil spring for biasing the ball through the retainer are accommodated in a hold hole of the guide member. Disengagement of the ball from the spiral slot is prevented by an abutment of an end face of the retainer and a bottom wall of the hold hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hitachi Unisia Automotive, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Todo, Kazuhiko Takayanagi, Shigeaki Yamamuro, Naotaka Nakura
  • Patent number: 6622674
    Abstract: A valve timing control system includes a driving plate coupled to a crankshaft, a lever shaft coupled to a camshaft, a VTC housing, and an electromagnetic coil mounted to the VTC housing for producing a magnetic field to control a mounting angle formed between the driving plate and the lever shaft. The electromagnetic coil has rotation restricted and axial displacement allowed by the VTC housing, and is engaged with the lever shaft to enable rotation with respect thereto and axial displacement together therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2003
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Shigeaki Yamamuro, Naotaka Nakura
  • Publication number: 20030070643
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus including a drive rotary member, a driven rotary member and an intermediate rotary member rotatable relative to the drive and driven rotary members. A follower is moveably engaged with a radial guide of one of the drive and driven rotary members and a spiral guide of the intermediate rotary member. An actuator rotates the intermediate rotary member to allow a movement of the follower along the radial guide which is converted into relative rotation of the drive and driven rotary members via a link coupling the follower with the other of the drive and driven rotary members. A lubricating oil chamber is arranged to surround an engagement portion between the spiral guide and the follower and pivotal connection portions between one end of the link and the other of the drive and driven rotary members and between an opposite end thereof and the follower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: HITACHI UNISIA AUTOMOTIVE, LTD.
    Inventors: Masahiko Watanabe, Naotaka Nakura
  • Publication number: 20030070642
    Abstract: In a valve timing control system, an intermediate rotator is rotated with respect to a driving plate and a lever shaft to make radial displacement of a ball engaged with a spiral slot of the intermediate rotator along a radial slot. The radial displacement is converted into relative rotation of the driving plate and the lever shaft through a link. A bottomed cylindrical guide member which is rotatably supported by a front end of the link has a base engaged with the spiral slot. The ball engaged with the spiral slot, a retainer for supporting the back of the ball, and a coil spring for biasing the ball through the retainer are accommodated in a hold hole of the guide member. Disengagement of the ball from the spiral slot is prevented by an abutment of an end face of the retainer and a bottom wall of the hold hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: HITACHI UNISIA AUTOMOTIVE, LTD.
    Inventors: Tamotsu Todo, Kazuhiko Takayanagi, Shigeaki Yamamuro, Naotaka Nakura
  • Publication number: 20030070640
    Abstract: A valve timing control apparatus is provided which comprises an intermediate rotary member rotatable relative to a driving rotary member and a driven rotary member and having a spiral guide of a single spiral. Rotation of the intermediate rotary member caused by a control force applying unit causes radial movement of the guided members which is in turn converted to relative rotation between the driving rotary member and the driven rotary member by the links. The spiral of the spiral guide is defined so that a rate of change of spiral radius per angle is not constant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Applicant: HITACHI UNISIA AUTOMOTIVE, LTD.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hibi, Naotaka Nakura
  • Publication number: 20030034000
    Abstract: A valve timing control system includes a driving plate coupled to a crankshaft, a lever shaft coupled to a camshaft, a VTC housing, and an electromagnetic coil mounted to the VTC housing for producing a magnetic field to control a mounting angle formed between the driving plate and the lever shaft. The electromagnetic coil has rotation restricted and axial displacement allowed by the VTC housing, and is engaged with the lever shaft to enable rotation with respect thereto and axial displacement together therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: February 20, 2003
    Applicant: UNISIA JECS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi, Shigeaki Yamamuro, Naotaka Nakura
  • Publication number: 20030029399
    Abstract: A valve timing control system includes a driving plate, a lever provided to a camshaft, a radial slot formed in the driving plate, an intermediate rotator arranged rotatable with respect to the driving plate and the camshaft and having a spiral slot, and a link having a base end pivotally coupled to the lever and a front end arranged swingably and including a ball engaged with the spiral slot and a block member engaged with the radial slot. The ball has a center of engagement located on a swinging axis of the front end of the link, producing no moment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2002
    Publication date: February 13, 2003
    Applicant: UNISIA JECS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shigeaki Yamamuro, Masahiko Watanabe, Naotaka Nakura
  • Patent number: 6318319
    Abstract: A valve timing control device disposed between a rotary element synchronously rotating with an engine and a camshaft actuating the engine valve, comprising a housing adapted to rotate with one of the rotary element and the camshaft and a vane rotor within the housing. The vane rotor has an axial bore having an open end and pressure chamber-side fluid passages open to the axial bore and is adapted to rotate with the other of the rotary element and the camshaft. Vanes radially extending from the vane rotor define within the housing fluid pressure chambers communicating with the pressure chamber-side fluid passages, respectively. A fluid control mechanism controls supply and discharge of a hydraulic fluid relative to the fluid pressure chambers. A shaft is received in the axial bore and formed with pressure source-side fluid passages connecting the pressure chamber-side fluid passages with the fluid control mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Unisia Jecs Corporation
    Inventors: Hideyuki Miyasaka, Yoshinori Ichinosawa, Naotaka Nakura