Patents by Inventor Naotsugu Kitayama

Naotsugu Kitayama 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: 20160319891
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device includes torque cams provided between opposed surfaces of a flange of a control retainer and a flange of a rotary retainer and configured to convert an axial movement of the control retainer to relative rotational motion between the two retainers. All of the torque cams are circumferentially offset from all of the pillars of the control retainer and all of the pillars of the rotary retainer, and a pair of cam grooves forming each torque cam are heat-treated only at their areas that are brought into contact with a ball of the torque cam, to increase the hardness of these areas, thus improving the durability of the retainers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahide SAITO, Koji SATO, Naotsugu KITAYAMA
  • Publication number: 20160238092
    Abstract: When a control retainer and a rotary retainer rotate relative to each other, a plurality of pairs of rollers received in respective pockets are pushed by pillars so as to move to their disengaged position. An anti-rotation means is provided between an outer ring and the control retainer. The anti-rotation means prevents the control retainer from rotating relative to the outer ring when the rollers are engaged, so that that the rollers does not move to their neutral position. This increases reliability. The anti-rotation means includes a plurality of first protrusions formed on the surface of the outer ring, and a plurality of second protrusions formed on the surface of the control retainer axially opposed to the surface of the outer ring. Heat treatment is performed to the first and second protrusions so as to increase the hardness thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Koji AKIYOSHI, Koji SATO, Naotsugu KITAYAMA, Takahide SAITO
  • Publication number: 20160186820
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device is provided in which leakage of magnetism from an armature to a control retainer is reduced, and of which a two-way clutch can be operated accurately and reliably. This device includes a restricting arrangement for restricting the fitting amount between a coupling tube of the armature and a tubular portion of the control retainer such that a gap is defined between a back surface of the armature, with respect to its surface to be attracted to a rotor, and an end surface of the tubular portion, to prevent leakage of magnetism from the back surface of the armature to the end surface of the tubular portion when an electromagnet is energized and the armature is pulled to the rotor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2014
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Naotsugu KITAYAMA, Kyohei SASANUMA, Marina FUKUNARI, Takahide SAITO, Koji SATO, Masahiro KAWAI
  • Patent number: 9279462
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device includes a control retainer and a rotary retainer having bars arranged circumferentially alternating with each other such that pockets are defined between the adjacent pairs of bars. A pair of rollers are mounted in each pocket with an elastic member disposed between the pair of rollers such that the pair of rollers are pushed by the respective bars to their respective disengaged positions when the control retainer and the rotary retainer rotate relative to each other. A spring holder is fitted on an input shaft while abutting one axial end surface of an inner ring. The spring holder has spring support pieces on the outer periphery thereof to prevent radially outward movement of the elastic members. The spring support pieces are plate-shaped members disposed radially outwardly of the elastic members to extend in the axial direction in parallel to the outer periphery of the inner ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2016
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naotsugu Kitayama, Takahide Saito, Koji Akiyoshi, Koji Sato
  • Publication number: 20160010702
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device is provided which generates less colliding sounds and vibrations. The rotation transmission device is configured such that when an electromagnet of an electromagnetic clutch is energized, an armature is attracted toward a rotor, so that a control retainer forming a two-way clutch is moved in the axial direction, whereby the control retainer and a rotary retainer are rotated relative to each other in the direction in which the circumferential widths of pockets decrease, thereby disengaging pairs of rollers from the inner periphery of an outer ring and the outer periphery of an inner ring. The rotation transmission device includes a shock absorbing member provided on the surface of the armature facing the rotor and configured to absorb impact force when the armature is attracted to the rotor by being elastically deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Publication date: January 14, 2016
    Inventors: Naotsugu KITAYAMA, Marina FUKUNARI, Kyohei SASANUMA, Koji AKIYOSHI, Masahiro KAWAI, Takahide SAITO, Koji SATO
  • Patent number: 9163686
    Abstract: A brake-side clutch section on an output side transmits rotational torque input from a lever-side clutch section on an input side, for controlling transmission and interruption of the rotational torque to the output side through lever operation, to the output side, and interrupts rotational torque reversely input from the output side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawai, Kouji Isoda, Naotsugu Kitayama
  • Patent number: 9109642
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device includes a two-way clutch and an electromagnetic clutch for engaging and disengaging the two-way clutch and which can be easily assembled without the need for a shim to prevent movements of the clutches. The two-way clutch (10) and the electromagnetic clutch (50) are mounted in a housing (3) including at one end a positioning arrangement (5). The two-way clutch (10) and the electromagnetic clutch (5) are biased by an elastic member (7) supported by the positioning arrangement (5) toward an anti-separation ring (8) provided on the inner periphery of the housing (3) at the other end thereof, and are thus prevented from moving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Naotsugu Kitayama, Koji Akiyoshi, Koji Sato
  • Patent number: 9005066
    Abstract: A motor assembly includes an electric motor and a speed reducing mechanism. The speed reducing mechanism includes: a housing; an internal gear supported by the inner diameter surface of the housing; eccentric disks capable of rotating inside the internal gear when the rotating shaft of the electric motor rotates; an output shaft having at the axial end thereof a cage rotatably disposed between the internal gear and the eccentric disks, the cage being arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the eccentric disks; and rolling elements retained by the cage and meshing with internal teeth of the internal gear, the number of the rolling elements being smaller than the number of the internal teeth. The eccentric disks are provided on the rotating shaft of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Takahide Saito, Masafumi Nakakoji, Naotsugu Kitayama
  • Publication number: 20150075935
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device includes a control retainer and a rotary retainer having bars arranged circumferentially alternating with each other such that pockets are defined between the adjacent pairs of bars. A pair of rollers are mounted in each pocket with an elastic member disposed between the pair of rollers such that the pair of rollers are pushed by the respective bars to their respective disengaged positions when the control retainer and the rotary retainer rotate relative to each other. A spring holder is fitted on an input shaft while abutting one axial end surface of an inner ring. The spring holder has spring support pieces on the outer periphery thereof to prevent radially outward movement of the elastic members. The spring support pieces are plate-shaped members disposed radially outwardly of the elastic members to extend in the axial direction in parallel to the outer periphery of the inner ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naotsugu Kitayama, Takahide Saito, Koji Akiyoshi, Koji Sato
  • Publication number: 20150075936
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device includes a two-way clutch which is selectively engaged and disengaged by an electromagnetic clutch. The two-way clutch includes a control retainer and a rotary retainer. The control retainer and the rotary retainer have flanges and bars formed on outer peripheral portions of the respective flanges and arranged so as to circumferentially alternate with each other with pockets defined between adjacent bars. Two rollers are received in each pocket. When the control retainer and the rotary retainer are rotated relative to each other, the rollers are adapted to be pushed by the bars to the disengaged position. An anti-rotation arrangement is provided on opposed surfaces of an outer ring and the control retainer member. The anti-rotation arrangement is adapted to prevent the control retainer from rotating relative to the outer ring while the rollers are in engagement, thereby preventing the rollers from moving to the neutral position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Akiyoshi, Koji Sato, Naotsugu Kitayama, Takahide Saito
  • Publication number: 20140345999
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device is configured such that when an electromagnet of an electromagnetic clutch is energized, a control retainer of a two-way clutch is moved in the axial direction, so that the control retainer and a rotary retainer rotate relative to each other in the direction in which the circumferential widths of pockets decrease, thereby disengaging pairs of rollers from an outer ring and an inner ring. A spring holder is provided which is fixed to an input shaft and kept in abutment with an axial end surface of the inner ring to prevent relative rotation between the control retainer and the rotary retainer in the direction in which the circumferential widths of the pockets decrease, from the neutral position of the rollers. The spring holder is prevented from axial movement to prevent untimely engagement of the two-way clutch. The inner ring is integral with the input shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: NTN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naotsugu Kitayama, Koji Akiyoshi, Takahide Saito
  • Publication number: 20140216882
    Abstract: A rotation transmission device is provided which includes a two-way clutch and an electromagnetic clutch for engaging and disengaging the two-way clutch and which can be easily assembled without the need for a shim to prevent movements of the clutches. The two-way clutch (10) and the electromagnetic clutch (50) are mounted in a housing (3) including at one end a positioning arrangement (5). The two-way clutch (10) and the electromagnetic clutch (5) are biased by an elastic member (7) supported by the positioning arrangement (5) toward an anti-separation ring (8) provided on the inner periphery of the housing (3) at the other end thereof, and are thus prevented from moving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicant: NTN Corporation
    Inventors: Naotsugu Kitayama, Koji Akiyoshi, Koji Sato
  • Publication number: 20140162826
    Abstract: A motor assembly includes an electric motor and a speed reducing mechanism. The speed reducing mechanism includes: a housing; an internal gear supported by the inner diameter surface of the housing; eccentric disks capable of rotating inside the internal gear when the rotating shaft of the electric motor rotates; an output shaft having at the axial end thereof a cage rotatably disposed between the internal gear and the eccentric disks, the cage being arranged coaxially with the rotation axis of the eccentric disks; and rolling elements retained by the cage and meshing with internal teeth of the internal gear, the number of the rolling elements being smaller than the number of the internal teeth. The eccentric disks are provided on the rotating shaft of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Inventors: Koji Sato, Takahide Saito, Masafumi Nakakoji, Naotsugu Kitayama
  • Publication number: 20130327609
    Abstract: A brake-side clutch section on an output side transmits rotational torque input from a lever-side clutch section on an input side, for controlling transmission and interruption of the rotational torque to the output side through lever operation, to the output side, and interrupts rotational torque reversely input from the output side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Inventors: Masahiro Kawai, Kouji Isoda, Naotsugu Kitayama