Patents by Inventor Nobuhiko Hirakawa
Nobuhiko Hirakawa 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: 10843759Abstract: A waterproof cover is attached to a portion of a body frame positioned behind a rear end of a left side member and ahead of left and right engine supports of the body frame when looking at a vehicle standing in an upright state from the left of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the waterproof cover overlaps at least one of a right side member and the left side member when looking at the vehicle from the front of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: October 24, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuhiko Hirakawa, Ryuta Mitsuoka
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Patent number: 10625807Abstract: A vehicle includes a body frame including a connecting bracket including a unitary connector that connects a front end of a right frame and a front end of a left frame, and an extension that extends to the front of the vehicle from the connector to be welded to a link support at a front end thereof. When the vehicle is seen from the front thereof, a weld between the extension and the link support is located on an imaginary central straight line that passes a middle upper axis and a middle lower axis above or below a turning support in an up-and-down direction of the body frame.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2018Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryuta Mitsuoka, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Patent number: 10471799Abstract: A linkage includes a lower cross member supported by a link support and provided with a rear element turnable about a turning axis behind the link support. The body frame includes an upper frame, a lower frame and a coupling frame. The upper frame and the lower frame extend rearward from the link support to intersect areas respectively located directly above and below a turning range of the rear element. A longitudinal direction of the coupling frame extends in an up-down direction of the body frame. The coupling frame couples the upper and lower frames at a location behind the rear element. A majority of a front edge of the coupling frame extends along the longitudinal direction as viewed from a left-right direction of the body frame when the leaning vehicle is in an upright condition.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 12, 2019Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ryuta Mitsuoka, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20190118894Abstract: A waterproof cover is attached to a portion of a body frame positioned behind a rear end of a left side member and ahead of left and right engine supports of the body frame when looking at a vehicle standing in an upright state from the left of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the waterproof cover overlaps at least one of a right side member and the left side member when looking at the vehicle from the front of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 24, 2018Publication date: April 25, 2019Inventors: Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA, Ryuta MITSUOKA
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Publication number: 20180257452Abstract: A linkage includes a lower cross member supported by a link support and provided with a rear element turnable about a turning axis behind the link support. The body frame includes an upper frame, a lower frame and a coupling frame. The upper frame and the lower frame extend rearward from the link support to intersect areas respectively located directly above and below a turning range of the rear element. A longitudinal direction of the coupling frame extends in an up-down direction of the body frame. The coupling frame couples the upper and lower frames at a location behind the rear element. A majority of a front edge of the coupling frame extends along the longitudinal direction as viewed from a left-right direction of the body frame when the leaning vehicle is in an upright condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Ryuta MITSUOKA, Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20180257729Abstract: A vehicle includes a body frame including a connecting bracket including a unitary connector that connects a front end of a right frame and a front end of a left frame, and an extension that extends to the front of the vehicle from the connector to be welded to a link support at a front end thereof. When the vehicle is seen from the front thereof, a weld between the extension and the link support is located on an imaginary central straight line that passes a middle upper axis and a middle lower axis above or below a turning support in an up-and-down direction of the body frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Ryuta MITSUOKA, Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA
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Patent number: 9862448Abstract: In a vehicle, a left shock absorber is disposed such that a left telescopic axis is positioned on the left of a left steering axis in a left-right direction of a body frame when a vehicle in which the body frame is standing upright is viewed from a front in a front-rear direction of the body frame. A right shock absorber is disposed such that a right telescopic axis is positioned on the right of a right steering axis in the left-right direction of the body frame when the vehicle in which the body frame is standing upright is viewed from the front in the front-rear direction of the body frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: January 9, 2018Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuhiko Hirakawa, Kazuhisa Takano
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Patent number: 9776680Abstract: A body frame includes a link support that supports a linkage, a lower frame that connects a power unit provided in a position where at least a portion of the power unit overlaps a line when a vehicle in the upright state is seen from a side thereof and the link support together, and an upper frame that is connected to the link support above a connecting portion of the lower frame with the link support. When the vehicle in the upright state is seen from the side thereof, a point of intersection of a straight line which passes a connecting portion and intersects a middle lower axis at right angles and an upper edge of the upper frame is positioned above a point of intersection of the middle lower axis and a left steering axis in relation to the direction of the left steering axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: October 3, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuhiko Hirakawa, Kazuhisa Takano, Hiroshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 9771117Abstract: A portion of a body cover which is not movable relative to a body frame defines a space to guide air to an air cleaner. When a vehicle is in a condition that the body frame is in an upright state and is viewed from the front in a front-rear direction of the body frame, the space is at least partially situated at least one of above a lower end of an upper cross member in an up-down direction of the body frame, on the left of a left edge of a linkage in a left-right direction of the body frame, and on the right of a right edge of the linkage in the left-right direction of the body frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 28, 2015Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Nobuhiko Hirakawa, Hiroshi Suzuki
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Patent number: 9771118Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering force transmission including a steering force input, a steering shaft that is connected to the steering force input and which is supported by a first shaft support so as to turn about a rear steering axis, a connector that is connected to the steering shaft and displaced as the steering shaft turns, and a relay shaft that is connected to the connector to turn about a front steering axis as the connector is displaced, which is supported by a second shaft support that is provided ahead of the first shaft support to turn a right front wheel and a left front wheel as the second shaft support turns. The first shaft support is fixed to a portion of a body frame that extends to the rear from the link support so that the rear steering axis of the steering shaft is disposed behind a movable range of a rear cross element of a linkage in relation to a front-and-rear direction of a middle upper axis.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: September 26, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuhisa Takano, Keisuke Terada, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Patent number: 9745012Abstract: A vehicle includes a linkage, a steering force transmission, and a steering lock. The steering force transmission includes a rear shaft that is able to turn about a rear axis, a front shaft that is able to turn about a front axis, and a connector. When seen from a side of the vehicle, a distance between the front shaft and a right steering axis is smaller than a distance between the rear shaft and the right steering axis, and in which at least one portion of the steering lock that is mounted on the front shaft or a member that turns together with the front shaft and a member that is displaced relative thereto is provided in a position that overlaps a movable range of the linkage when seen from the side of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 29, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kohsuke Ohno, Hiroyuki Yoshikuni, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Patent number: 9738344Abstract: In a vehicle, a left cover attached to a left side member covers at least one of a left upper edge of an upper cross member, a left lower edge of the upper cross member, a left upper edge of a lower cross member, and a left lower edge of the lower cross member, from the left in a left-right direction of a body frame together with at least a portion of the left side member. A right cover attached to a right side member covers at least one of a right upper edge of the upper cross member, a right lower edge of the upper cross member, a right upper edge of an upper edge of the lower cross member, and a right lower edge of the lower cross member, from the right in the left-right direction of the body frame together with at least a portion of the right side member.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 22, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Patent number: 9731786Abstract: A vehicle includes a linkage, a steering force transmission, a steering lock and a steering stopper. The steering force transmission includes a rear shaft that is able to turn about a rear axis, a front shaft that is able to turn about a front axis, and a connector that transmits the turning of the rear shaft to the front shaft. The steering lock includes a first portion and a second portion which are able to be displaced relative to each other and makes it impossible for a right front wheel and a left front wheel to turn by making it impossible for the first portion to be displaced relative to the second portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 29, 2016Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroyuki Yoshikuni, Kohsuke Ohno, Nobuhiko Hirakawa
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Publication number: 20170203807Abstract: A body frame includes a link support that supports a linkage, a lower frame that connects a power unit provided in a position where at least a portion of the power unit overlaps a line when a vehicle in the upright state is seen from a side thereof and the link support together, and an upper frame that is connected to the link support above a connecting portion of the lower frame with the link support. When the vehicle in the upright state is seen from the side thereof, a point of intersection of a straight line which passes a connecting portion and intersects a middle lower axis at right angles and an upper edge of the upper frame is positioned above a point of intersection of the middle lower axis and a left steering axis in relation to the direction of the left steering axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: July 20, 2017Inventors: Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA, Kazuhisa TAKANO, Hiroshi SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20170129562Abstract: A portion of a body cover which is not movable relative to a body frame defines a space to guide air to an air cleaner. When a vehicle is in a condition that the body frame is in an upright state and is viewed from the front in a front-rear direction of the body frame, the space is at least partially situated at least one of above a lower end of an upper cross member in an up-down direction of the body frame, on the left of a left edge of a linkage in a left-right direction of the body frame; and on the right of a right edge of the linkage in the left-right direction of the body frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 28, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA, Hiroshi SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20170088223Abstract: In a vehicle, a left cover attached to a left side member covers at least one of a left upper edge of an upper cross member, a left lower edge of the upper cross member, a left upper edge of a lower cross member, and a left lower edge of the lower cross member, from the left in a left-right direction of a body frame together with at least a portion of the left side member. A right cover attached to a right side member covers at least one of a right upper edge of the upper cross member, a right lower edge of the upper cross member, a right upper edge of an upper edge of the lower cross member, and a right lower edge of the lower cross member, from the right in the left-right direction of the body frame together with at least a portion of the right side member.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventor: Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20170088220Abstract: In a vehicle, a left shock absorber is disposed such that a left telescopic axis is positioned on the left of a left steering axis in a left-right direction of a body frame when a vehicle in which the body frame is standing upright is viewed from a front in a front-rear direction of the body frame. A right shock absorber is disposed such that a right telescopic axis is positioned on the right of a right steering axis in the left-right direction of the body frame when the vehicle in which the body frame is standing upright is viewed from the front in the front-rear direction of the body frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA, Kazuhisa TAKANO
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Publication number: 20170088218Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering force transmission including a steering force input, a steering shaft that is connected to the steering force input and which is supported by a first shaft support so as to turn about a rear steering axis, a connector that is connected to the steering shaft and displaced as the steering shaft turns, and a relay shaft that is connected to the connector to turn about a front steering axis as the connector is displaced, which is supported by a second shaft support that is provided ahead of the first shaft support to turn a right front wheel and a left front wheel as the second shaft support turns. The first shaft support is fixed to a portion of a body frame that extends to the rear from the link support so that the rear steering axis of the steering shaft is disposed behind a movable range of a rear cross element of a linkage in relation to a front-and-rear direction of a middle upper axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Kazuhisa TAKANO, Keisuke TERADA, Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20170088219Abstract: A vehicle includes a linkage, a steering force transmission, a steering lock and a steering stopper. The steering force transmission includes a rear shaft that is able to turn about a rear axis, a front shaft that is able to turn about a front axis, and a connector that transmits the turning of the rear shaft to the front shaft. The steering lock includes a first portion and a second portion which are able to be displaced relative to each other and makes it impossible for a right front wheel and a left front wheel to turn by making it impossible for the first portion to be displaced relative to the second portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Hiroyuki YOSHIKUNI, Kohsuke OHNO, Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA
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Publication number: 20170088214Abstract: A vehicle includes a linkage, a steering force transmission, and a steering lock. The steering force transmission includes a rear shaft that is able to turn about a rear axis, a front shaft that is able to turn about a front axis, and a connector. When seen from a side of the vehicle, a distance between the front shaft and a right steering axis is smaller than a distance between the rear shaft and the right steering axis, and in which at least one portion of the steering lock that is mounted on the front shaft or a member that turns together with the front shaft and a member that is displaced relative thereto is provided in a position that overlaps a movable range of the linkage when seen from the side of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 29, 2016Publication date: March 30, 2017Inventors: Kohsuke OHNO, Hiroyuki YOSHIKUNI, Nobuhiko HIRAKAWA