Patents by Inventor Noboru Minamoto
Noboru Minamoto 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).
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Patent number: 7311334Abstract: A shock absorbing type steering device decreases variations in press fitting loads corresponding to a friction force between two columns. A shock can be appropriately absorbed by relative movements of the two columns in an axial direction. At least one of a first column and a second column press fitted into an opening at one end of the first column is formed with swaged parts on a peripheral wall thereof at a plurality of positions having intervals in a circumferential direction of the column, respectively at a plurality of positions having intervals in an axial direction of the column. Positions of tip ends of the swaged parts are different between a group of swaged parts near the opening at the end of the first column and other groups remote from the opening.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2003Date of Patent: December 25, 2007Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken Niwa, Noboru Minamoto, Shuzo Hirakushi
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Patent number: 7172361Abstract: An extendable shaft includes a first and a second shaft sections aligned on the same axis. External splines on an outer periphery of the first shaft section engage external splines on an inner periphery of the second shaft section. The first shaft section includes a slit extended from an opening end thereof for a predetermined length along an axial direction. A diametrically contractible portion adapted for elastic reduction in diameter is provided in a region ranging from the opening end of the first shaft section to place away therefrom by the predetermined length along the axial direction. A thin-wall portion is formed in a part of the diametrically contractible portion. A clamping member elastically clamps the diametrically contractible portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 21, 2004Date of Patent: February 6, 2007Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Noboru Minamoto, Ryouichi Tokioka, Shuzo Hirakushi
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Publication number: 20050044980Abstract: An extendable shaft includes a first and a second shaft sections aligned on the same axis. External splines on an outer periphery of the first shaft section engage external splines on an inner periphery of the second shaft section. The first shaft section includes a slit extended from an opening end thereof for a predetermined length along an axial direction. A diametrically contractible portion adapted for elastic reduction in diameter is provided in a region ranging from the opening end of the first shaft section to place away therefrom by the predetermined length along the axial direction. A thin-wall portion is formed in a part of the diametrically contractible portion. A clamping member elastically clamps the diametrically contractible portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2004Publication date: March 3, 2005Inventors: Noboru Minamoto, Ryouichi Tokioka, Shuzo Hirakushi
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Patent number: 6851331Abstract: A tilt steering apparatus comprises a lock lever rotatable around the axis of a supporting shaft. When a lock lever is rotated around the axis of the supporting shaft, a cam surface is rotated relative to a cam follower. As a result, the cam surface presses the cam follower against side plates of a fixed bracket, thereby achieving tilt locking. The cam surface has a plurality of slopes corresponding to a rotation stroke position of the lock lever. The operating torque of the lock lever at the time of a locking operation is reduced without increasing the range of the operating angle of the lock lever.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2001Date of Patent: February 8, 2005Assignee: Koyo Seiko., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshikazu Kuroumaru, Noboru Minamoto
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Publication number: 20040129104Abstract: The present invention provides a shock absorbing type steering device in which variations in press fitting loads corresponding to a friction force between two columns are decreased, whereby a shock can be appropriately absorbed by relative movements of the two columns in an axial direction. According to the shock absorbing type steering device, at least one of a first column and a second column press fitted into an opening at one end of the first column is formed with swaged parts on a peripheral wall thereof at a plurality of positions having intervals in a circumferential direction of the column, respectively at a plurality of positions having intervals in an axial direction of the column. And, positions of tip ends of said swaged parts are difference between a group of swaged parts near the opening at the end of said first column and other groups remote from the opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2003Publication date: July 8, 2004Applicant: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken Niwa, Noboru Minamoto, Shuzo Hirakushi
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Patent number: 6688644Abstract: With the steering apparatus, a tilt can be adjusted by sliding a column bracket, which is fastened to a column housing supporting a steering shaft so as to be rotatable, along tilting apertures provided at side walls of a tilting bracket. A contact projection which is projected toward a stopper from a substantially center portion of the column bracket for limiting a tilt angle crashes into the stopper with a slide of the column bracket caused by a secondary crash and pushes the stopper into guiding apertures arranged in an extension to the tilting apertures. The steering apparatus can realize absorption of energy of a secondary crash by increasing a tilt angle always under a proper condition, while high accuracy is unnecessary in shaping related parts.Type: GrantFiled: January 8, 2002Date of Patent: February 10, 2004Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Tsunoda, Noboru Minamoto, Yoshikazu Kuromaru
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Patent number: 6523432Abstract: A lower bracket for mounting a steering column to a vehicle body is formed as a single element that is fixed to the vehicle body by inserting a bolt with a collar therethrough. Upon application of an impact load, the lower bracket forces the bolt and collar into a path of a smaller width than the collar thereby plastically deforming an edge portion of the path for absorption of the impact energy.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2000Date of Patent: February 25, 2003Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitaka Yamamoto, Koji Yoshioka, Noboru Minamoto
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Publication number: 20020140219Abstract: With the steering apparatus, a tilt can be adjusted by sliding a column bracket, which is fastened to a column housing supporting a steering shaft so as to be rotatable, along tilting apertures provided at side walls of a tilting bracket. A contact projection which is projected toward a stopper from a substantially center portion of the column bracket for limiting a tilt angle crashes into the stopper with a slide of the column bracket caused by a secondary crash and pushes the stopper into guiding apertures arranged in an extension to the tilting apertures. The steering apparatus can realize absorption of energy of a secondary crash by increasing a tilt angle always under a proper condition, while high accuracy is unnecessary in shaping related parts.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 8, 2002Publication date: October 3, 2002Applicant: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Tsunoda, Noboru Minamoto, Yoshikazu Kuromaru
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Publication number: 20020023515Abstract: A tilt steering apparatus comprises a lock lever rotatable around the axis of a supporting shaft. When a lock lever is rotated around the axis of the supporting shaft, a cam surface is rotated relative to a cam follower. As a result, the cam surface presses the cam follower against side plates of a fixed bracket, thereby achieving tilt locking. The cam surface has a plurality of slopes corresponding to a rotation stroke position of the lock lever. The operating torque of the lock lever at the time of a locking operation is reduced without increasing the range of the operating angle of the lock lever.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 10, 2001Publication date: February 28, 2002Inventors: Yoshikazu Kuroumaru, Noboru Minamoto
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Patent number: 5645107Abstract: A hydraulic pressure control valve includes a cylindrical valve body and a valve spool coaxially fitted therein, each having oil grooves and lands alternately provided on and along the respective peripheral inside and outside surfaces, the opposing oil grooves and lands having throttles therebetween whose throttling extent, are changeable in accordance with a relative angular displacement between the valve body and the valve spool such that the flow of a working oil is concentrated in wider throttles. Thus noise due to cavitation is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 1995Date of Patent: July 8, 1997Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masanori Kobayashi, Yoshiyuki Saito, Takashi Ohata, Fumiyoshi Ono, Noboru Minamoto
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Patent number: 5048364Abstract: A motor-operated tilt steering device including a fixed bracket fixed to the body of a vehicle and supporting a lower steering shaft by means of a lower column, a tilt bracket pivotally movably attached to the fixed bracket and supporting by an upper column an upper steering shaft connected to the lower steering shaft by a universal joint, a tilting electric motor attached to the fixed bracket, and an arrangement for converting the rotation of the motor to a pivotal movement of the tilt bracket. The conversion arrangement includes a screw shaft attached to the fixed bracket in parallel with the motor, a timing belt coupling the motor to the screw shaft, a screw nut in meshing engagement with the screw shaft, and an eccentric member coupling the screw nut to the tilt bracket.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1989Date of Patent: September 17, 1991Assignee: Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd.Inventors: Noboru Minamoto, Yoshiyuki Nakamura, Hironori Kotani