Patents by Inventor Nobuyuki Shomura

Nobuyuki Shomura 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: 9481436
    Abstract: A shift control device of an outboard motor having an electrical shift device for switching a propulsion direction has a rotation switching unit electrically switching whether to drive the outboard motor for regular rotation or for counter rotation, and a rotation determination unit determining whether the outboard motor drives for regular rotation or for counter rotation. Desired performances can be obtained by the outboard motor for regular rotation and the outboard motor for counter rotation without complicating the operation even when the propulsion unit for regular rotation and the propulsion unit for counter rotation are made as a common unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Hitoshi Matsumura, Masahiro Nanba
  • Publication number: 20160312683
    Abstract: Disclosed is an outboard motor including an exhaust manifold having a plurality of first openings connected to exhaust ports to form a first passage vertically extending, and an exhaust passage having a second passage extending upward along the exhaust manifold, a third passage that is connected to an upper end portion of the second passage and passes over the exhaust manifold, a fourth passage that is connected to the third passage, turns over to the downside, and then extends downward along the exhaust manifold, so that a lower end portion thereof communicates with a fifth passage provided in the engine holder, the second, third, and fourth passages being arranged in one side of the left-right direction of the cylinder block, wherein the exhaust passage is arranged in a swirling shape, and an exhaust gas cleaning catalyst is installed in a middle portion of the second passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Ryuji HAMADA
  • Patent number: 9475563
    Abstract: There is provided an electric outboard motor. An upper unit is provided to be rotatable in a horizontal direction about a swivel unit. A lower unit is provided below the upper unit and configured to function as a rudder. The upper unit comprises an electric motor supported by a rear side of the swivel unit via a mount unit. The upper unit or lower unit has a gear deceleration device configured to couple an output shaft of the electric motor and a drive shaft extending in an upward and downward direction to each other. The drive shaft is coupled to the gear deceleration device in front of the output shaft of the electric motor and configured to transmit an output of the electric motor to a propeller provided in the lower unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Akinori Yamazaki, Sho Ishizaki
  • Publication number: 20160305316
    Abstract: Disclosed is an outboard motor including an exhaust manifold having a first passage that is provided with a plurality of first openings connected to a plurality of exhaust ports and extends vertically, and a second passage that is arranged under the first passage and has a second opening provided in a lower end portion and connected to a third passage formed in the engine holder. The first and second passages of the exhaust manifold are formed integrally, and the exhaust manifold is formed separately from the cylinder head and the cylinder block and is detachably installed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Ryuji Hamada
  • Patent number: 9415850
    Abstract: An outboard motor having an outboard motor body generating a thrust by rotating a propeller that is driven by an engine mounted to the outboard motor and an attachment device for attaching the outboard motor body to a hull. The outboard motor includes a mount device having an upper mount and a lower mount arranged between the outboard motor body and the attachment device for attaching the outboard motor body to the hull and supports an upper portion and a lower portion of the outboard motor body, respectively. The mount device also includes an anti-vibration unit and a displacement restriction unit. The lateral displacement restricting mount section and a member opposing the lateral displacement restricting mount section abut against each other with the abutment surfaces inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the outboard motor body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Akinori Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 9347417
    Abstract: In the process of starting by a recoil starter, a maximum value detection section of an ECM detects a maximum value of pressure (basic atmospheric pressure) in an intake pipe detected by a pressure sensor, within a predetermined range of crank angle after activation of the ECM. An idling control unit gives feedback control on an ISC valve based on engine speed detected by an engine speed sensor, to thereby keep idling engine speed at a specified value. A correction unit corrects a basic atmospheric pressure detected by the maximum value detection section based on the duty ratio of the ISC valve in idling, and uses the result as the atmospheric pressure. A storage unit 9d stores a map in which the duty ratio of the ISC valve in idling is correlated with the amount of correction to be made on the basic atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Tatsunori Kataoka, Akinori Yamazaki
  • Publication number: 20160068246
    Abstract: There is provided a toe angle control system for outboard motors. A memory stores therein a toe angle data table in which a running state of a ship and a lifting force generated along with propulsion of a plurality of outboard motors which are mounted on a body of the ship are associated with each other for each toe angle of the outboard motors. A controller is configured to adjust a toe angle of the outboard motors based on the running state of the ship and the toe angle data table. The toe angle data table is adapted to be associated with a plurality of running states of the ship mounted with the outboard motors. The controller selects a toe angle of the outboard motors so as to minimize the lifting force depending on a speed of the ship and trim angles of the outboard motors.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2015
    Publication date: March 10, 2016
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Akinori YAMAZAKI, Toshinori KONO
  • Publication number: 20160039510
    Abstract: There is provided an electric outboard motor. An upper unit is provided to be rotatable in a horizontal direction about a swivel unit. A lower unit is provided below the upper unit and configured to function as a rudder. The upper unit comprises an electric motor supported by a rear side of the swivel unit via a mount unit. The upper unit or lower unit has a gear deceleration device configured to couple an output shaft of the electric motor and a drive shaft extending in an upward and downward direction to each other. The drive shaft is coupled to the gear deceleration device in front of the output shaft of the electric motor and configured to transmit an output of the electric motor to a propeller provided in the lower unit. The gear deceleration device is arranged below the swivel unit so as to overlap with the swivel unit in a front and rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2015
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Akinori YAMAZAKI, Sho ISHIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150360762
    Abstract: A shift control device of an outboard motor having an electrical shift device for switching a propulsion direction has a rotation switching unit electrically switching whether to drive the outboard motor for regular rotation or for counter rotation, and a rotation determination unit determining whether the outboard motor drives for regular rotation or for counter rotation. Desired performances can be obtained by the outboard motor for regular rotation and the outboard motor for counter rotation without complicating the operation even when the propulsion unit for regular rotation and the propulsion unit for counter rotation are made as a common unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2013
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Hitoshi MATSUMURA, Masahiro NANBA
  • Publication number: 20150298784
    Abstract: An outboard motor having an outboard motor body generating a thrust by rotating a propeller that is driven by an engine mounted to the outboard motor and an attachment device for attaching the outboard motor body to a hull. The outboard motor includes a mount device having an upper mount and a lower mount arranged between the outboard motor body and the attachment device for attaching the outboard motor body to the hull and supports an upper portion and a lower portion of the outboard motor body, respectively. The mount device also includes an anti-vibration unit and a displacement restriction unit. The lateral displacement restricting mount section and a member opposing the lateral displacement restricting mount section abut against each other with the abutment surfaces inclined with respect to a longitudinal direction of the outboard motor body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Akinori YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 9145861
    Abstract: When an ECM activates as powered from a generator, a decision unit determines occurrence of instantaneous interruption and reactivation of the ECM, if engine speed detected by an engine speed sensor immediately after activation of the ECM is found to be not smaller than a predetermined number of rotation Y. When occurrence of the instantaneous interruption and reactivation is actually determined, the ECM terminates operation of the engine. On the other hand, if occurrence of the instantaneous interruption and reactivation is not determined, the ECM detects, using a maximum value detection unit, a maximum value of pressure in the intake pipe detected by a pressure sensor, within a predetermined range of crank angle after activation of the ECM, stores the maximum value into a memory for later use as the atmospheric pressure, and uses it for control of fuel injection by an injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori Yamazaki, Nobuyuki Shomura, Kunitoshi Ito
  • Publication number: 20140370768
    Abstract: An intake structure of an outboard motor supplying intake air to an internal combustion engine for the outboard motor has an engine cover covering the internal combustion engine for the outboard motor, an inner cover disposed on an outside of the engine cover, and a top cover covering the inner cover. The inner cover and the top cover form an intake duct supplying intake air to the internal combustion engine for the outboard motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 18, 2014
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Akinori YAMAZAKI, Toshinori KONO
  • Publication number: 20130247857
    Abstract: When an ECM activates as powered from a generator, a decision unit determines occurrence of instantaneous interruption and reactivation of the ECM, if engine speed detected by an engine speed sensor immediately after activation of the ECM is found to be not smaller than a predetermined number of rotation Y. When occurrence of the instantaneous interruption and reactivation is actually determined, the ECM terminates operation of the engine. On the other hand, if occurrence of the instantaneous interruption and reactivation is not determined, the ECM detects, using a maximum value detection unit, a maximum value of pressure in the intake pipe detected by a pressure sensor, within a predetermined range of crank angle after activation of the ECM, stores the maximum value into a memory for later use as the atmospheric pressure, and uses it for control of fuel injection by an injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akinori YAMAZAKI, Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Kunitoshi ITO
  • Publication number: 20130247878
    Abstract: In the process of starting by a recoil starter, a maximum value detection section of an ECM detects a maximum value of pressure (basic atmospheric pressure) in an intake pipe detected by a pressure sensor, within a predetermined range of crank angle after activation of the ECM. An idling control unit gives feedback control on an ISC valve based on engine speed detected by an engine speed sensor, to thereby keep idling engine speed at a specified value. A correction unit corrects a basic atmospheric pressure detected by the maximum value detection section based on the duty ratio of the ISC valve in idling, and uses the result as the atmospheric pressure. A storage unit 9d stores a map in which the duty ratio of the ISC valve in idling is correlated with the amount of correction to be made on the basic atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki SHOMURA, Tatsunori KATAOKA, Akinori YAMAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7214164
    Abstract: A shift operation control system for an outboard motor, which is capable of reducing a load acting on a shift operation lever during a shift operation and a shock occurring during the shift operation, to thereby facilitate the shift operation. The shift operation by the shift operation lever (21) is continuously detected by a shift position detector (24), and when an early stage of the shift operation from the forward position to the neutral position or from the reverse position to the neutral position is detected and at the same time the engine speed at the detection is not less than a predetermined value, engine output reduction control is carried out, and when the shift position detector (24) detects that the shift position has been switched to the neutral position, the engine output reduction control is canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Hidehiko Yoshioka, Shuichi Hagino, Tomohiko Miyaki
  • Publication number: 20060135314
    Abstract: A shift operation control system for an outboard motor, which is capable of reducing load acting on a shift operation lever during a shift operation and a shock occurring during the shift operation, to thereby Facilitate the shift operation. The shift operation by the shift operation lever 21 is continuously detected by a shift position detector 24, and when an early stage of the shift operation from the forward position to the neutral position or from the reverse position to the neutral position is detected and at the same time the engine speed at the detection is not less than a predetermined value, engine output reduction control is carried out, and when the shift position detector 24 detects that the shift position has been switched to the neutral position, the engine output reduction control is canceled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Hidehiko Yoshioka, Shuichi Hagino, Tomohiko Miyaki
  • Patent number: 6964255
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a vertical multi-cylinder engine, a fly-wheel magneto device, a partition plate, and a ventilation fan. The vertical multi-cylinder engine is disposed in an engine cover and comprises a crank case and a crank shaft, the crank shaft being rotatably disposed and protruding upward from the crank case. The fly-wheel magneto device is disposed on the protruding portion of the crank shaft. The partition plate is disposed in the engine cover and partitions the inside of the engine cover into an engine air-inlet space and a space including a heat-generating source, the engine air-inlet space being disposed at the upper portion of the engine cover, and the space including a heat-generating source being disposed at the lower portion of the engine cover. The ventilation fan is disposed in the lower space below the partition plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Tomohiko Miyaki, Jiro Saiga, Hidehiko Yoshioka, Shuichi Hagino
  • Patent number: 6918803
    Abstract: An outboard motor in which a location on a hull of a throttle operating unit (81) such as a throttle lever and a location on the hull of an outboard motor main body accommodating therein an engine are positioned away from each other on the hull and in which a control inputted by a crew member to the throttle operating unit is mechanically transmitted to a throttle valve of the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body so as to drive the throttle valve to be opened and closed, the outboard motor being characterized in that an electric air control valve (14) for increasing and decreasing the volume of intake air to the engine via a separate system from the throttle valve and a control unit including an actuator for controlling the opening and closing of the air control valve 14 are provided on the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body, and in that an engine speed operating unit (44, 46) is provided by which the crew member directly inputs an air increase or decrease signal into the contr
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Suzuki Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Shomura
  • Publication number: 20040149241
    Abstract: An outboard motor includes a vertical multi-cylinder engine, a fly-wheel magneto device, a partition plate, and a ventilation fan. The vertical multi-cylinder engine is disposed in an engine cover and comprises a crank case and a crank shaft, the crank shaft being rotatably disposed and protruding upward from the crank case. The fly-wheel magneto device is disposed on the protruding portion of the crank shaft. The partition plate is disposed in the engine cover and partitions the inside of the engine cover into an engine air-inlet space and a space including a heat-generating source, the engine air-inlet space being disposed at the upper portion of the engine cover, and the space including a heat-generating source being disposed at the lower portion of the engine cover. The ventilation fan is disposed in the lower space below the partition plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2003
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Shomura, Tomohiko Miyaki, Jiro Saiga, Hidehiko Yoshioka, Shuichi Hagino
  • Publication number: 20040029461
    Abstract: An outboard motor in which a location on a hull of a throttle operating unit (81) such as a throttle lever and a location on the hull of an outboard motor main body accommodating therein an engine are positioned away from each other on the hull and in which a control inputted by a crew member to the throttle operating unit is mechanically transmitted to a throttle valve of the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body so as to drive the throttle valve to be opened and closed, the outboard motor being characterized in that an electric air control valve (14) for increasing and decreasing the volume of intake air to the engine via a separate system from the throttle valve and a control unit including an actuator for controlling the opening and closing of the air control valve 14 are provided on the engine accommodated in the outboard motor main body, and in that an engine speed operating unit (44, 46) is provided by which the crew member directly inputs an air increase or decrease signal into the contr
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Applicant: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Nobuyuki Shomura