Patents by Inventor Noboru Higano

Noboru Higano 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: 11796044
    Abstract: A gear device drivingly coupling a drive shaft with first and second axles is provided with a case coupled via gearing with the drive shaft, and rotatable about an axis; a hub that is couplable with the first axle; a clutch member retained by the case and disengageably engaged with the hub; a biasing element retaining the clutch member at a position where the clutch member engages with the hub; and a differential gear set coupling the case via gearing with the first and second axles and locked by the clutch member to prevent differential motion between the first axle and the second axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endou, Kazuhiro Ohashi, Shungo Numabe
  • Patent number: 11649885
    Abstract: A differential apparatus includes a differential unit and a multi-plate clutch. The differential unit includes a differential case, a differential gear and a pair of output gears. The differential case includes a case main body and a cover body to close an opening of the case main body. The opening of the case main body is formed on a side of one of the pair of output gears. The multi-plate clutch is provided only on a side of the opening of the case main body. Outer clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the differential case. Inner clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the one of the pair of the output gears.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Limited
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Yousuke Kawai
  • Publication number: 20220213952
    Abstract: A differential apparatus includes a differential unit and a multi-plate clutch. The differential unit includes a differential case, a differential gear and a pair of output gears. The differential case includes a case main body and a cover body to close an opening of the case main body. The opening of the case main body is formed on a side of one of the pair of output gears. The multi-plate clutch is provided only on a side of the opening of the case main body. Outer clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the differential case. Inner clutch plates of the multi-plate clutch are engaged with the one of the pair of the output gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: July 7, 2022
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Yousuke Kawai
  • Publication number: 20220034391
    Abstract: A gear device drivingly coupling a drive shaft with first and second axles is provided with a case coupled via gearing with the drive shaft, and rotatable about an axis; a hub that is couplable with the first axle; a clutch member retained by the case and disengageably engaged with the hub; a biasing element retaining the clutch member at a position where the clutch member engages with the hub; and a differential gear set coupling the case via gearing with the first and second axles and locked by the clutch member to prevent differential motion between the first axle and the second axle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endou, Kazuhiro Ohashi, Shungo Numabe
  • Patent number: 10781904
    Abstract: A differential apparatus includes a differential device, and a differential restricting portion configured to restrict a differential operation of the differential device. The differential device includes a differential case which is rotatably disposed, a differential gear which is rotatable while being supported by the differential case and revolves by rotation of the differential case, and a pair of output gears which are meshed with the differential gear and are rotatable relative to each other. The output gears include a gear member provided with a gear portion, and an output member including an output portion configured to output a driving force inputted to the output gears. A cam portion is provided between the gear member and the output member. The differential restricting portion is provided between the differential case and the output member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2020
    Assignee: GKN Automotive Ltd.
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Yousuke Kawai, Noboru Higano, Kazutaka Kawata
  • Patent number: 10415682
    Abstract: A case for a differential gear set includes: a rotatable carrier having a cylindrical fitting face and a radially projecting flange having an axially directed butting face; a cover having a brim section so projecting axially as to fit on an outer periphery of the flange and so dimensioned as to align an end face of the brim section with the butting face; a ring gear fitting on the fitting face and having a back face in contact with the butting face; and a weld metal uniting the carrier, the cover and the ring gear together, wherein the butting face of the carrier, the end face of the cover and the back face of the ring gear are so dimensioned as to keep a circular groove exposed outward and reaching an interface between the back face and the butting face and the weld metal fills the groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2019
    Assignee: GKN Driveline Japan Ltd
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Masahiko Asahi
  • Publication number: 20190219143
    Abstract: A differential apparatus includes a differential device, and a differential restricting portion configured to restrict a differential operation of the differential device. The differential device includes a differential case which is rotatably disposed, a differential gear which is rotatable while being supported by the differential case and revolves by rotation of the differential case, and a pair of output gears which are meshed with the differential gear and are rotatable relative to each other. The output gears include a gear member provided with a gear portion, and an output member including an output portion configured to output a driving force inputted to the output gears. A cam portion is provided between the gear member and the output member. The differential restricting portion is provided between the differential case and the output member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: July 18, 2019
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Yousuke Kawai, Noboru Higano, Kazutaka Kawata
  • Publication number: 20180180152
    Abstract: A case for a differential gear set is comprised of: a rotatable carrier comprising a cylindrical fitting face and a radially projecting flange having an axially directed butting face; a cover comprising a brim section so projecting axially as to fit on an outer periphery of the flange and so dimensioned as to align an end face of the brim section with the butting face; a ring gear fitting on the fitting face and comprising a back face in contact with the butting face; and a weld metal joining the carrier, the cover and the ring gear together, wherein the butting face of the carrier, the end face of the cover and the back face of the ring gear are so dimensioned as to keep a circular groove exposed outward and reaching an interface between the back face and the butting face and the weld metal fills the groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Isao Hirota, Noboru Higano, Masahiko Asahi
  • Patent number: 7326142
    Abstract: A partition structure of a power train device is provided with: a second differential coupled with an external first differential so as to receive a driving force input to the first differential; a case having a first end facing to the first differential, a second end opposed to the first end and a wall defining the case, the case rotatably housing the second differential and an oil for lubrication of the second differential; and a seal member disposed at the first end of the case and between the first differential and the second differential so as to prevent the oil in the case from mixing with an external fluid existing outside with respect to the case and the seal member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Tochigi Fuji Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Asahi, Kazuhiro Ohzeki, Hiroaki Kashiwazaki, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endo, Takayuki Matsumoto, Takuo Kimura, Masahiro Kasahara, Kenichi Shigekura
  • Publication number: 20080026900
    Abstract: A differential gear includes first and second differential mechanisms that are compact in radial and axial directions, the first and second differential mechanisms 5 and 7 arranged side by side along an axis of rotation in a center casing 3 that is rotatably supported, the differential gear 1 configured to form one of first and second coupling configurations, the first coupling configuration that couples the center casing and first and second differential mechanisms in such a way as to transmit rotation of the center casing to the first and second differential mechanisms in parallel, the second coupling configuration that couples the center casing and first and second differential mechanisms in such a way as to transmit rotation of the center casing to one of the first and second differential mechanisms (e.g. a front casing 31) via the other thereof (e.g. a second output gear 61), and at least one of the first and second differential mechanisms including face gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: GKN Driveline Torque Technology KK
    Inventors: Masaki Gotoh, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endou
  • Publication number: 20070167272
    Abstract: A differential device is equipped with differential gears 3 and a pair of output gears 5, 7 that mesh with the differential gears 3 in different meshing pitch-circle radii R1, R2. The output gears 5, 7 are formed by contrate gears, while the differential gears 3 are formed by spur gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2007
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Applicant: GKN Driveline Torque Technology KK
    Inventors: Noboru Higano, Hideyuki Inose
  • Publication number: 20060100053
    Abstract: A partition structure of a power train device is provided with: a second differential coupled with an external first differential so as to receive a driving force input to the first differential; a case having a first end facing to the first differential, a second end opposed to the first end and a wall defining the case, the case rotatably housing the second differential and an oil for lubrication of the second differential; and a seal member disposed at the first end of the case and between the first differential and the second differential so as to prevent the oil in the case from mixing with an external fluid existing outside with respect to the case and the seal member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: Tochigi Fuji Sangyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masahiko Asahi, Kazuhiro Ohzeki, Hiroaki Kashiwazaki, Noboru Higano, Manabu Endo, Takayuki Matsumoto, Takuo Kimura, Masahiro Kasahara, Kenichi Shigekura