Patents by Inventor Naoto HORI

Naoto HORI 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: 10704229
    Abstract: A hydraulic driving apparatus that drives a plurality of driving subjects and regenerates energy thereof. This hydraulic driving apparatus includes: a first pump motor; a second pump motor that is switchable between a state of moving a first driving subject by hydraulic oil discharged from the first pump motor and a state of being operated as a pump by means of energy of the first driving subject; a first pump motor line that couples the first and second pump motors with each other; a first accumulator connected to the first pump motor line; a regeneration subject hydraulic actuator that moves a second driving subject; a second accumulator that receives hydraulic oil from the regeneration subject hydraulic actuator; a second pump motor line that couples the second accumulator with the first pump motor; and a pressure release changeover valve that opens/closes the second pump motor line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shohei Uemura, Naoki Sugano, Naoto Hori, Satoshi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 10392780
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive device that is provided in a work device and with which it is possible to obtain a high energy-saving effect with a low-cost configuration while being equipped with a plurality of hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic drive device is provided with: first and second actuator groups; closed circuits connected to hydraulic actuators included in the first actuator group; a pump section including closed circuit pumps; open circuits which include a plurality of variable throttle valves for changing the flow rate of working fluid supplied from a hydraulic pump included in the pump section to a hydraulic actuator; and circuit switching sections having a first state in which the closed circuits are opened and the opened circuits are blocked, and a second state in which the closed circuits are blocked and the open circuits are opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Naoto Hori, Satoshi Maekawa
  • Patent number: 10315896
    Abstract: An electric winch device includes a required braking force estimation section which estimates a required braking force required to stop a free-falling object at a position at an allowable stopping height; a braking force determination section which determines, out of an operational braking force, each of a first braking force to be borne by a braking device and a second braking force to be borne by a braking force which is generated in an electric motor due to consumption of regenerative power; and a control section which causes the braking device to apply the first braking force to a winch drum. The braking force determination section determines the first braking force to be a braking force equal to or greater than the required braking force when, at a time of stopping of the free-falling object, the operational braking force is equal to or greater than the required braking force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kawai, Takashi Hiekata, Shintaro Sasai, Naoto Hori, Toshiro Yamashita, Koichi Shimomura
  • Patent number: 10196247
    Abstract: Provided is an electric winch device including: an electric motor; a winch drum; a brake; an operation lever; and a controller. The controller includes: a first torque derivation unit which derives a value of a first torque applied to the winch drum due to a load of an object; a second torque derivation unit which derives a value of a second torque generated in the winch drum by a drive torque of the electric motor; and a brake control unit which determines a timing for releasing a braking action on the winch drum after the operation lever has been operated, on the basis of a differential between the second torque value and the first torque value, and which causes the brake to release the braking action on the winch drum by transmitting, to the brake, a control signal instructing release of the braking action on the winch drum at the determined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.), KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Hiekata, Hiroaki Kawai, Toshiro Yamashita, Shintaro Sasai, Naoto Hori, Koichi Shimomura
  • Patent number: 10150655
    Abstract: An electric winch device including an electric motor that rotates a winch drum in a hoisting direction, and generates regenerative electric power when a rotation of the winch drum in a lowering direction is transmitted to the electric motor, a transmission device that transmits the rotation between the electric motor and the winch drum, a power calculating section that calculates power of the target object by freefall, and a control section that controls an operation of the transmission device. When the power calculated by the power calculating section exceeds reference electric power, the control section causes the transmission device to change the transmission rate of the rotation to a transmission rate at which the regenerative electric power generated by the electric motor is equal to or smaller than the reference electric power.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Hiekata, Hiroaki Kawai, Toshiro Yamashita, Shintaro Sasai, Naoto Hori, Koichi Shimomura
  • Publication number: 20180251958
    Abstract: A hydraulic driving apparatus that drives a plurality of driving subjects and regenerates energy thereof. This hydraulic driving apparatus includes: a first pump motor; a second pump motor that is switchable between a state of moving a first driving subject by hydraulic oil discharged from the first pump motor and a state of being operated as a pump by means of energy of the first driving subject; a first pump motor line that couples the first and second pump motors with each other; a first accumulator connected to the first pump motor line; a regeneration subject hydraulic actuator that moves a second driving subject; a second accumulator that receives hydraulic oil from the regeneration subject hydraulic actuator; a second pump motor line that couples the second accumulator with the first pump motor; and a pressure release changeover valve that opens/closes the second pump motor line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2016
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Shohei UEMURA, Naoki SUGANO, Naoto HORI, Satoshi MAEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180245312
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive device that is provided in a work device and with which it is possible to obtain a high energy-saving effect with a low-cost configuration while being equipped with a plurality of hydraulic actuators. The hydraulic drive device is provided with: first and second actuator groups; closed circuits connected to hydraulic actuators included in the first actuator group; a pump section including closed circuit pumps; open circuits which include a plurality of variable throttle valves for changing the flow rate of working fluid supplied from a hydraulic pump included in the pump section to a hydraulic actuator; and circuit switching sections having a first state in which the closed circuits are opened and the opened circuits are blocked, and a second state in which the closed circuits are blocked and the open circuits are opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2016
    Publication date: August 30, 2018
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Naoki SUGANO, Naoto HORI, Satoshi MAEKAWA
  • Publication number: 20170210606
    Abstract: An electric winch device includes a required braking force estimation section which estimates a required braking force required to stop a free-falling object at a position at an allowable stopping height; a braking force determination section which determines, out of an operational braking force, each of a first braking force to be borne by a braking device and a second braking force to be borne by a braking force which is generated in an electric motor due to consumption of regenerative power; and a control section which causes the braking device to apply the first braking force to a winch drum. The braking force determination section determines the first braking force to be a braking force equal to or greater than the required braking force when, at a time of stopping of the free-falling object, the operational braking force is equal to or greater than the required braking force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd.), KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki KAWAI, Takashi HIEKATA, Shintaro SASAI, Naoto HORI, Toshiro YAMASHITA, Koichi SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 9650232
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive apparatus for working machine capable of preventing an excessive pressure reduction on a meter-in side and moving a load in a lowering direction at a stable speed requiring no counter balance valve. The apparatus includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator for lowering the load, an operating device, a hydraulic circuit including a meter-in flow passage, a meter-out flow passage and a regeneration flow passage, a control valve, a meter-in-flow-rate controller for controlling a meter-in flow rate, a meter-out-flow-rate controller for controlling a meter-out flow rate to one not lower than the meter-in flow rate, a back pressure generator located downstream of the regeneration flow passage in the meter-out flow passage, and a meter-out-flow-rate limiter. The meter-out-flow-rate limiter minimizes a flow passage area of the meter-out orifice when a pressure in the meter-in flow passage falls to or below a permissible pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2017
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Naoto Hori, Takaharu Michida
  • Publication number: 20170043983
    Abstract: An electric winch device including an electric motor that rotates a winch drum in a hoisting direction, and generates regenerative electric power when a rotation of the winch drum in a lowering direction is transmitted to the electric motor, a transmission device that transmits the rotation between the electric motor and the winch drum, a power calculating section that calculates power of the target object by freefall, and a control section that controls an operation of the transmission device. When the power calculated by the power calculating section exceeds reference electric power, the control section causes the transmission device to change the transmission rate of the rotation to a transmission rate at which the regenerative electric power generated by the electric motor is equal to or smaller than the reference electric power.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd.), KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi HIEKATA, Hiroaki KAWAI, Toshiro YAMASHITA, Shintaro SASAI, Naoto HORI, Koichi SHIMORURA
  • Patent number: 9528531
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive apparatus for working machine capable of preventing an excessive pressure drop on a meter-in side and moving a load in a lowering direction at a stable speed requiring no counter balance valve, including a hydraulic pump, a first hydraulic actuator lowering a first load, an operating device, a first hydraulic circuit including meter-in and meter-out flow passages, a control valve, a meter-in-flow-rate controller, a meter-out-flow-rate controller making a meter-out flow rate not lower than a meter-in flow rate, a second hydraulic actuator, a second hydraulic circuit between the first hydraulic circuit and a tank and for the second hydraulic actuator, a back pressure valve between the second hydraulic circuit and the tank, a regeneration line leading a part of hydraulic fluid from between the second hydraulic circuit and the back pressure valve to the meter-in flow passage, and a check valve in the regeneration line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd., KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Naoto Hori, Takaharu Michida
  • Patent number: 9511813
    Abstract: There are provided: a front frame extending rearward and downward from a head pipe while enlarging a width thereof; and a body frame joined to rear ends of the front frame and supporting a swing arm. The body frame is formed in a manner that right and left body parts joined to the rear ends of the front frame, and bridge parts for upper portions and lower ends of the right and left body parts are integrally molded. Solid structures are provided in the middle of the right and left body parts, a continuous hollow structure formed of the upper portions of the right and left body parts and the upper bridge part and a continuous hollow structure formed of lower portions of the right and left body parts and the lower bridge part are provided at an upper position and a lower position, respectively, with the solid structures sandwiched therebetween. Further, pivot parts being pivot support parts for the swing arm are provided to the solid structures of the body parts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takeshi Yoshida, Naoto Hori
  • Publication number: 20160289054
    Abstract: Provided is an electric winch device including: an electric motor; a winch drum; a brake; an operation lever; and a controller. The controller includes: a first torque derivation unit which derives a value of a first torque applied to the winch drum due to a load of an object; a second torque derivation unit which derives a value of a second torque generated in the winch drum by a drive torque of the electric motor; and a brake control unit which determines a timing for releasing a braking action on the winch drum after the operation lever has been operated, on the basis of a differential between the second torque value and the first torque value, and which causes the brake to release the braking action on the winch drum by transmitting, to the brake, a control signal instructing release of the braking action on the winch drum at the determined timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.), KOBELCO CONSTRUCTION MACHINERY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi HIEKATA, Hiroaki KAWAI, Toshiro YAMASHITA, Shintaro SASAI, Naoto HORI, Koichi SHIMOMURA
  • Patent number: 9316236
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic driving apparatus for a working machine, preventing an excessive decrease in pressure on a meter-in side and moving a load at a stable speed in a lowering direction. The apparatus comprises: a hydraulic pump; a hydraulic actuator; a manipulation device; a working hydraulic circuit including a meter-in flow passage and a meter-out flow passage; a control valve for changing a state of supply of hydraulic fluid to drive the hydraulic actuator at a speed designated by the manipulation device; a meter-in flow adjuster and a meter-out flow adjuster adapted to adjust a meter-in flow rate and meter-in flow rate respectively to respective value corresponding to the speed designated by the manipulation device; and a relief valve. The meter-in and meter-out flow adjusters have respective flow adjustment characteristics such that the meter-in flow rate is greater than the meter-out flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignees: KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD., Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroo Kondo, Takaharu Michida, Katsuki Yamagata, Naoto Hori, Naoya Kitazumi, Satoshi Maekawa, Naoki Sugano
  • Publication number: 20150367904
    Abstract: There are provided: a front frame extending rearward and downward from a head pipe while enlarging a width thereof; and a body frame joined to rear ends of the front frame and supporting a swing arm. The body frame is formed in a manner that right and left body parts joined to the rear ends of the front frame, and bridge parts for upper portions and lower ends of the right and left body parts are integrally molded. Solid structures are provided in the middle of the right and left body parts, a continuous hollow structure formed of the upper portions of the right and left body parts and the upper bridge part and a continuous hollow structure formed of lower portions of the right and left body parts and the lower bridge part are provided at an upper position and a lower position, respectively, with the solid structures sandwiched therebetween. Further, pivot parts being pivot support parts for the swing arm are provided to the solid structures of the body parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Takeshi YOSHIDA, Naoto HORI
  • Patent number: 9187297
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus to lower a load, comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator having first and second ports, a manipulation device, a hydraulic circuit including meter-in and meter-out flow passages for the first and second ports respectively and a regeneration flow passage with a check valve, a control valve, a meter-out flow controller adjusting a meter-out flow rate according to the manipulation device, a back pressure valve, and a non-regeneration operation relief valve whose set pressure is not less than a sum of a minimum set pressure of the back pressure valve, an inlet-outlet pressure difference of the meter-out flow controller when the meter-out flow rate is maximum and a discharge flow rate of the hydraulic pump is maximum, and an actuator pressure difference for driving the hydraulic actuator with no load, and not less than a maximum set pressure of the back pressure valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO, KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Satoshi Maekawa, Katsuki Yamagata, Takaharu Michida, Hiroo Kondo, Naoya Kitazumi, Naoto Hori
  • Patent number: 9181070
    Abstract: Provided is an apparatus provided in a working machine to lower a load, comprising a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator, a manipulation device having a manipulation member, a meter-in flow control device, a meter-out flow control device, a back pressure valve, a regeneration fluid passage branched from the meter-out fluid passage at a position upstream of the back pressure valve and merged with the meter-in fluid passage, and a check valve. The meter-in flow control device controls a meter-in flow rate in a region of the meter-in fluid passage upstream of a merging point with the regeneration fluid passage. The meter-out flow control device controls a meter-out flow rate in a region of the meter-out fluid passage upstream of a branching point of the regeneration fluid passage so as to make the meter-out flow rate be greater than the meter-in flow rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignees: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO, KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Satoshi Maekawa, Katsuki Yamagata, Takaharu Michida, Hiroo Kondo, Naoya Kitazumi, Naoto Hori
  • Publication number: 20140130486
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive apparatus for working machine capable of preventing an excessive pressure drop on a meter-in side and moving a load in a lowering direction at a stable speed requiring no counter balance valve, including a hydraulic pump, a first hydraulic actuator lowering a first load, an operating device, a first hydraulic circuit including meter-in and meter-out flow passages, a control valve, a meter-in-flow-rate controller, a meter-out-flow-rate controller making a meter-out flow rate not lower than a meter-in flow rate, a second hydraulic actuator, a second hydraulic circuit between the first hydraulic circuit and a tank and for the second hydraulic actuator, a back pressure valve between the second hydraulic circuit and the tank, a regeneration line leading a part of hydraulic fluid from between the second hydraulic circuit and the back pressure valve to the meter-in flow passage, and a check valve in the regeneration line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicants: KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD., KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Naoki Sugano, Naoto Hori, Takaharu Michida
  • Publication number: 20140130488
    Abstract: Provided is a hydraulic drive apparatus for working machine capable of preventing an excessive pressure reduction on a meter-in side and moving a load in a lowering direction at a stable speed requiring no counter balance valve. The apparatus includes a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator for lowering the load, an operating device, a hydraulic circuit including a meter-in flow passage, a meter-out flow passage and a regeneration flow passage, a control valve, a meter-in-flow-rate controller for controlling a meter-in flow rate, a meter-out-flow-rate controller for controlling a meter-out flow rate to one not lower than the meter-in flow rate, a back pressure generator located downstream of the regeneration flow passage in the meter-out flow passage, and a meter-out-flow-rate limiter. The meter-out-flow-rate limiter minimizes a flow passage area of the meter-out orifice when a pressure in the meter-in flow passage falls to or below a permissible pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2013
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicants: KOBELCO CRANES CO., LTD., KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Naoki SUGANO, Naoto HORI, Takaharu MICHIDA
  • Patent number: 8550200
    Abstract: A motorcycle having a vehicle body and a vehicle body frame. The vehicle body frame includes a head pipe; a pair of left and right tank rail portions including a widening portion having a width increasing in a vehicle width direction extending rearward of the vehicle from the head pipe, a parallel portion having a substantially fixed width, and a narrowing portion having a width decreasing the vehicle width direction, the widening portion, the parallel portion and the narrowing portion extend along left and right sides of the vehicle body of a motorcycle; and a pair of left and right rear arm bracket portions bending and extending from rear ends of the tank rail portions. The vehicle body frame has a front frame part and a rear frame part connected through a frame connecting surface substantially perpendicular to an axial direction of the parallel portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Naoto Hori, Akimasa Hatanaka, Toshiaki Yagi