Patents by Inventor Nobumichi Hanawa

Nobumichi Hanawa 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: 9488243
    Abstract: A damper with a vehicle height adjusting function includes a damper body and a vehicle height adjusting mechanism adapted to adjust an axial length of the damper body. The damper body includes a cylinder, a head member having an annular shape and closing one end of the cylinder, a piston rod axially supported on an inner periphery of the head member and inserted in the cylinder so as to be movable in an axial direction, and a piston retained by the piston rod and partitioning an inside of the cylinder into two pressure chambers. The vehicle height adjusting mechanism includes a partition wall member defining a jack chamber in one of the pressure chambers and being capable of extending and contracting in the axial direction, and a pump supplying/discharging a working fluid into/from the jack chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: KYB Corporation
    Inventors: Nobumichi Hanawa, Tsutomu Yoshimoto
  • Publication number: 20140124311
    Abstract: A damper with a vehicle height adjusting function includes a damper body and a vehicle height adjusting mechanism adapted to adjust an axial length of the damper body. The damper body includes a cylinder, a head member having an annular shape and closing one end of the cylinder, a piston rod axially supported on an inner periphery of the head member and inserted in the cylinder so as to be movable in an axial direction, and a piston retained by the piston rod and partitioning an inside of the cylinder into two pressure chambers. The vehicle height adjusting mechanism includes a partition wall member defining a jack chamber in one of the pressure chambers and being capable of extending and contracting in the axial direction, and a pump supplying/discharging a working fluid into/from the jack chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 8, 2014
    Applicant: KAYABA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Nobumichi Hanawa, Tsutomu Yoshimoto
  • Patent number: 7896321
    Abstract: A spring force adjusting device for a hydraulic shock absorber includes a cover (13) having a tubular shape, which is arranged on an outer side of a rod (12), a suspension spring (2) arranged on outer peripheries of a cylinder (11) and the cover (13), a cam mechanism (3) which adjusts a spring force, which is arranged on the outer periphery of the cover (13), a top cap (5) mounted on a tip of the rod (12), a junction member (4) sandwiched between the top cap (5) and the cover (13), and a means for preventing relative rotations of the top cap (5), the cover (13), and the junction member (4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuji Nakashima, Masaru Mishima, Nobumichi Hanawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Patent number: 7878604
    Abstract: A damping force generating mechanism (V) comprises a front valve body (6) which allows working oil to flow from a first oil chamber (R1) to a second oil chamber (R2) under a predetermined resistance when lifted, and a rear valve body (7) which is disposed on the rear side of the front valve body (6) and allows working oil to flow from the second oil chamber (R1) to the first oil chamber (R1) under a predetermined resistance when lifted. An oil passage (5c) and a check valve (10) are provided to serve as a part of a flow path from the second oil chamber (R2) to the first oil chamber (R1). By disposing the oil passage (5d) in parallel with a center axis of the front valve body (6) and the rear valve body (7), the size of the damping force generating mechanism (V) can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 7591352
    Abstract: A damping valve (102) comprises: a first valve element (16); a first valve seat (15) in which the first valve element (16) is seated; a second valve element (26) placed in series with the first valve element (16); a second valve seat (25), placed between the first and second valve elements (16) and (26), in which the second valve element (26) is seated; an biasing mechanism (30) for biasing the second valve element (26) toward the second valve seat (25) and biasing the first valve element (16) toward the first valve seat (15) via the second valve element (26); a first liquid chamber (106); a second liquid chamber (104); and a third liquid chamber (107).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2009
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 7441638
    Abstract: A front fork, which is interposed between a vehicle body and an axle to restrain a change in vehicle attitude, comprises a fork body (101) including a reservoir chamber (106) partially filled with gas and performing an expansion and contraction operation, a reservoir tank (102) partially filled with gas and communicating with the reservoir chamber (106) through a flow path (103) in which hydraulic oil flows, an on-off valve (35) switching between opening and closing of the flow path (103), and a relief valve (40) accepting flow of hydraulic oil from the reservoir chamber (106) toward the reservoir tank (102) when a pressure of the reservoir chamber (106) reaches a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Publication number: 20080223674
    Abstract: A damping force generating mechanism (V) comprises a front valve body (6) which allows working oil to flow from a first oil chamber (R1) to a second oil chamber (R2) under a predetermined resistance when lifted, and a rear valve body (7) which is disposed on the rear side of the front valve body (6) and allows working oil to flow from the second oil chamber (R1) to the first oil chamber (R1) under a predetermined resistance when lifted. An oil passage (5c) and a check valve (10) are provided to serve as a part of a flow path from the second oil chamber (R2) to the first oil chamber (R1). By disposing the oil passage (5d) in parallel with a center axis of the front valve body (6) and the rear valve body (7), the size of the damping force generating mechanism (V) can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: KAYABA INDUSTRY CO., TLD.
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 7231867
    Abstract: A rotary damper for damping oscillation of a motorcycle front tire includes a vane swingably mounted inside the rotary damper between left and right oil chambers, passages placing the oil chambers in fluid communication with one another, front chambers in communication with the passages to secure a pressure-receiving area adjacent the vane when the vane is at one of its extreme swing positions and begins swinging back towards the center of the damper, and grooves in fluid communication with the front chambers, wherein the grooves are formed shallower than the front chambers, and the passages are opened to the bottom of said grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignees: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masaru Mishima, Nobumichi Hanawa, Takeshi Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20070062770
    Abstract: A spring force adjusting device for a hydraulic shock absorber includes a cover (13) having a tubular shape, which is arranged on an outer side of a rod (12), a suspension spring (2) arranged on outer peripheries of a cylinder (11) and the cover (13), a cam mechanism (3) which adjusts a spring force, which is arranged on the outer periphery of the cover (13), a top cap (5) mounted on a tip of the rod (12), a junction member (4) sandwiched between the top cap (5) and the cover (13), and a means for preventing relative rotations of the top cap (5), the cover (13), and the junction member (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Applicant: KAYABA INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji Nakashima, Masaru Mishima, Nobumichi Hanawa, Yasuhiro Kitamura
  • Publication number: 20060180416
    Abstract: A rotary damper for damping oscillation of a motorcycle front tire includes a vane swingably mounted inside the rotary damper between left and right oil chambers, passages placing the oil chambers in fluid communication with one another, front chambers in communication with the passages to secure a pressure-receiving area adjacent the vane when the vane is at one of its extreme swing positions and begins swinging back towards the center of the damper, and grooves in fluid communication with the front chambers, wherein the grooves are formed shallower than the front chambers, and the passages are opened to the bottom of said grooves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: August 17, 2006
    Inventors: Masaru Mishima, Nobumichi Hanawa, Takeshi Wakabayashi
  • Publication number: 20060124414
    Abstract: A front fork, which is interposed between a vehicle body and an axle to restrain a change in vehicle attitude, comprises a fork body (101) including a reservoir chamber (106) partially filled with gas and performing an expansion and contraction operation, a reservoir tank (102) partially filled with gas and communicating with the reservoir chamber (106) through a flow path (103) in which hydraulic oil flows, an on-off valve (35) switching between opening and closing of the flow path (103), and a relief valve (40) accepting flow of hydraulic oil from the reservoir chamber (106) toward the reservoir tank (102) when a pressure of the reservoir chamber (106) reaches a predetermined pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2005
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Publication number: 20060113834
    Abstract: A damping valve (102) comprises: a first valve element (16); a first valve seat (15) in which the first valve element (16) is seated; a second valve element (26) placed in series with the first valve element (16); a second valve seat (25), placed between the first and second valve elements (16) and (26), in which the second valve element (26) is seated; an biasing mechanism (30) for biasing the second valve element (26) toward the second valve seat (25) and biasing the first valve element (16) toward the first valve seat (15) via the second valve element (26); a first liquid chamber (106); a second liquid chamber (104); and a third liquid chamber (107).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 6824153
    Abstract: A steering device for a two-wheeler of the present invention includes: a frame; a support member for a front wheel; a steering shaft connecting the support member to the frame so as to be rotatable about an axis thereof; and a rotary type steering damper providing a hydraulic resistance force in no matter which direction the support member rotates with respect to the frame. The steering damper has a vane adapted to swing in synchronism with rotation of the support member, oil chambers defined on both sides of the vane and filled with working fluid, a flow passage causing working fluid to flow from one oil chamber to the other oil chamber as the vane swings, and a damping valve arranged in a flow passage for the working fluid, and an opening of the damping valve is varied by a signal from outside to thereby generate a damping force optimized according to the travel condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Kayaba Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Nobumichi Hanawa, Masaru Mishima
  • Publication number: 20030234508
    Abstract: A steering device for a two-wheeler of the present invention includes: a frame; a support member for a front wheel; a steering shaft connecting the support member to the frame so as to be rotatable about an axis thereof; and a rotary type steering damper providing a hydraulic resistance force in no matter which direction the support member rotates with respect to the frame. The steering damper has a vane adapted to swing in synchronism with rotation of the support member, oil chambers defined on both sides of the vane and filled with working fluid, a flow passage causing working fluid to flow from one oil chamber to the other oil chamber as the vane swings, and a damping valve arranged in a flow passage for the working fluid, and an opening of the damping valve is varied by a signal from outside to thereby generate a damping force optimized according to the travel condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Nobumichi Hanawa, Masaru Mishima
  • Patent number: 5901821
    Abstract: A rotary damper for stabilizing a temperature characteristic while allowing a leakage of operating oil from a clearance between a basic portion of a rotor and a bearing end on the casing side for supporting said rotor with relative rotational motion between the casing and the rotor. Two sets of operating oil chambers (17a, 17b) and (18a, 18b) which alternately expand and contract with rotational displacement of (9) are connected by an interconnecting flowpassage (54) provided on the housing (2). A damping force generating mechanism (44) includes two sets of damping elements (43a, 43b) arranged midway on the interconnecting flowpassage (54). A flow resistance of operating oil passing through the interconnecting flowpassage (54) is imparted by the damping force generating mechanism (44) and the damping force regulating mechanisms (72, 73) to generate a predetermined damping force corresponding to the operating direction of the rotary damper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 11, 1999
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 5810129
    Abstract: A rotary damper for stabilization of a damping and temperature characteristic without impairing a temperature compensation function and facilitates a lubricating operation. The damper includes a bore for a damping force generating mechanism as a single communication flowpassage and a bore for a temperature compensation mechanism arranged in a line in a casing. The damping force generating mechanism is divided into two sets of damping elements with damping valves and return valves, arranged in series in the communication flowpassage with back surfaces of the damping valves and are oppositely positioned. A portion of the communication flowpassage between the damping valves is communicated with an oil chamber of a temperature compensation mechanism by an oil passage. A side panel is provided with a lubricating port toward the oil chamber of the temperature compensation mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobumichi Hanawa, Kozo Yamamoto, Toshihiro Yamada
  • Patent number: 5456524
    Abstract: In a motorcycle provided with a brake, a link supporting brake caliper is fitted to a wheel axle such that it is free to oscillate, an oil chamber being provided which enlarges or contracts according to the oscillation of this link, and which is connected to a pressure passage supplying oil pressure to the brake caliper. An electromagnetic valve is provided for opening and shutting this pressure passage, and a mechanism for detecting a pre-lock condition of the wheel. By shutting the electromagnetic valve when a pre-lock condition is detected, oil pressure supply to the brake caliper is shut off, and rise of braking pressure is prevented. If the pre-lock condition persists after the oil pressure has been shut off, the oil chamber is enlarged by varying the oscillation angle of the link so as decrease the braking pressure and prevent the wheel from locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1995
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kashima, Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 5417482
    Abstract: In a motorcycle provided with a brake, a link supporting brake caliper is fitted to a wheel axle such that it is free to oscillate, an oil chamber being provided which enlarges or contracts according to the oscillation of this link, and which is connected to a pressure passage supplying oil pressure to the brake caliper. An electromagnetic valve is provided for opening and shutting this pressure passage, and a mechanism for detecting a pre-lock condition of the wheel. By shutting the electromagnetic valve when a pre-lock condition is detected, oil pressure supply to the brake caliper is shut off, and rise of braking pressure is prevented. If the pre-lock condition persists after the oil pressure has been shut off, the oil chamber is enlarged by varying the oscillation angle of the link so as decrease the braking pressure and prevent the wheel from locking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1992
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kashima, Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 5133529
    Abstract: This invention relates to a seat damper which is adaptable for a seat supporting mechanism for a motor boat and the like. The damper has a supporting column structure and a lower bracket, the supporting column structure is comprised of an outer tube, a damper cylinder arranged within the outer tube, a hollow piston rod movably inserted into the damper cylinder through a piston, an attenuation force generating mechanism arranged within the damper cylinder and a height adjusting mechanism, and the supporting column structure is removably inserted into the lower bracket and fastened by a fastening member. The supporting column structure can be made into a cartridge form and the lower bracket can be standardized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1992
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kashima, Nobumichi Hanawa
  • Patent number: 4944705
    Abstract: The invention consists of a novel tilt damper equipped with two oil chambers; one in the piston-rod extended position and the other in the piston-rod retracted position, which are respectively connected to a gas chamber through an oil passage where a relief valve and a check valve are provided. These valves are alternatively disengaged from the closed condition by an external operator. When these valves are open, oil flows freely into and out of them to allow gas pressure to drive the piston rod in the direction of extension. When only the check valve on the piston-rod oil chamber in the extended position is open, the tilt damper does not move in the direction of retraction. When overload is applied in the direction of extension of the piston rod, the tilt damper extends by applying a negative pressure to the oil chamber on the retraction part. When the overload is removed, the tilt damper automatically returns to the original position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 31, 1990
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Kashima, Nobumichi Hanawa