Patents by Inventor Norihiko Yokota

Norihiko Yokota 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: 10000228
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a fixed bracket; an outer column; an arm portion; a column pipe; a steering shaft A including an upper shaft rotatably attached to the column pipe and a lower shaft which is connected by an universal joint and in which a male shaft and a female shaft engage with each other so as to freely extend and contract; and a fastening tool. The arm portion includes: bifurcated arm-shaped portions that extend from a front side in the axial direction of the outer column toward an outer side in the axial direction; a first linking portion formed between the arm-shaped portions so as to protrude upward from upper edges of the arm-shaped portions; and a second linking portion that protrudes downward from lower edges of the arm-shaped portions, and the second linking portion protrudes from the arm-shaped portions by a larger amount than the first linking portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Naohiro Tagaya, Toru Ito
  • Patent number: 9868457
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a fixing bracket fixed by being suspended to a vehicle body and having fixed side portions on both sides in a width direction of the vehicle body; and an outer column formed of aluminum by die-casting and sandwiched between the fixed side portions, wherein protrusion portions protruding toward both sides in the width direction are integrally formed on a rear end of the outer column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takahashi, Norihiko Yokota
  • Publication number: 20170106896
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a fixing bracket fixed by being suspended to a vehicle body and having fixed side portions on both sides in a width direction of the vehicle body; and an outer column formed of aluminum by die-casting and sandwiched between the fixed side portions, wherein protrusion portions protruding toward both sides in the width direction are integrally formed on a rear end of the outer column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: April 20, 2017
    Inventors: Ryosuke TAKAHASHI, Norihiko YOKOTA
  • Patent number: 9540034
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: an outer column and an inner pipe retained by the outer column for movement in a front-rear direction of a vehicle, an inner-pipe retaining section with opposed leg sections interconnected via a fastening mechanism. The apparatus further includes an impact energy absorbing member provided on the inner pipe and having a generally U sectional shape along the axis line of the inner pipe. The absorbing member includes: a base section mounted to the inner pipe; an abuttable section bent from the rear end of the base section such that it is abuttable against the fastening mechanism; and an energy absorbing section bent forward from one end of the abuttable section such that, when an impact is input to the inner pipe, the absorbing section absorbs energy of the impact while deforming by abutting against the fastening mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takahashi, Katsutoshi Tsuji, Norihiko Yokota, Toru Ito, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20160272235
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: an outer column and an inner pipe retained by the outer column for movement in a front-rear direction of a vehicle, an inner-pipe retaining section with opposed leg sections interconnected via a fastening mechanism. The apparatus further includes an impact energy absorbing member provided on the inner pipe and having a generally U sectional shape along the axis line of the inner pipe. The absorbing member includes: a base section mounted to the inner pipe; an abuttable section bent from the rear end of the base section such that it is abuttable against the fastening mechanism; and an energy absorbing section bent forward from one end of the abuttable section such that, when an impact is input to the inner pipe, the absorbing section absorbs energy of the impact while deforming by abutting against the fastening mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Inventors: Ryosuke Takahashi, Katsutoshi Tsuji, Norihiko Yokota, Toru Ito, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20160214639
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a fixed bracket; an outer column; an arm portion; a column pipe; a steering shaft A including an upper shaft rotatably attached to the column pipe and a lower shaft which is connected by an universal joint and in which a male shaft and a female shaft engage with each other so as to freely extend and contract; and a fastening tool. The arm portion includes: bifurcated arm-shaped portions that extend from a front side in the axial direction of the outer column toward an outer side in the axial direction; a first linking portion formed between the arm-shaped portions so as to protrude upward from upper edges of the arm-shaped portions; and a second linking portion that protrudes downward from lower edges of the arm-shaped portions, and the second linking portion protrudes from the arm-shaped portions by a larger amount than the first linking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2016
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Inventors: Norihiko YOKOTA, Naohiro TAGAYA, Toru ITO
  • Patent number: 9283981
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a column pipe; an outer housing having a clamping portion; a pair of stopper plates; a fastener having a bolt shaft that is mounted on the clamping portion so as to fasten the clamping portion to thereby fix the column pipe; and a buffer member. The buffer member is mounted on any one of the pair of facing stopper plates and the bolt shaft and makes contact with the other by mutual displacement, and a plurality of projection ribs having a triangular cross-sectional shape is formed on a contacting surface of the buffer member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Yoshiyuki Satou, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9187116
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a column pipe; an outer column having an embracing main body portion that allows the column pipe to freely move in a front-rear direction and fixes the column pipe; and clamping portions that extend and contract the embracing main body portion in a diametric direction; a fixing bracket having a fixing side portion that holds widthwise opposite sides of the outer column in a sandwiching manner; a stopper bracket having an telescopic slot secured to the column pipe and an impact absorbing slot and having a collapse portion, the telescopic slot and the impact absorbing slot being contiguously formed along an axial direction; and a clamper having a bolt shaft inserted through the clamping portions, the fixing side portion, and the stopper bracket and collapsing the collapse portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Toru Ito, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20150232116
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes: a column pipe; an outer column having an embracing main body portion that allows the column pipe to freely move in a front-rear direction and fixes the column pipe; and clamping portions that extend and contract the embracing main body portion in a diametric direction; a fixing bracket having a fixing side portion that holds widthwise opposite sides of the outer column in a sandwiching manner; a stopper bracket having an telescopic slot secured to the column pipe and an impact absorbing slot and having a collapse portion, the telescopic slot and the impact absorbing slot being contiguously formed along an axial direction; and a clamper having a bolt shaft inserted through the clamping portions, the fixing side portion, and the stopper bracket and collapsing the collapse portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Toru Ito, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8984984
    Abstract: The steering apparatus includes an inner column, a left-right pair of outer column half bodies, a fixing bracket having fixing side portions, and a clamping tool. In a condition where the inner column is clamped fixedly via the clamping tool, the inner column is held by the holding surface portions of the two outer column half bodies, and an upper recessed indentation portion and a lower recessed indentation portion that do not contact the inner column are formed on the respective holding surface portions of the two outer column half bodies. Strip-form contact portions that contact the inner column are formed in locations on either circumferential direction side of the upper recessed indentation portion and the lower recessed indentation portion, the strip-form contact portions being formed in at least four locations on the two outer column half bodies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2015
    Assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Takahiro Maniwa
  • Publication number: 20150068354
    Abstract: A steering device includes an inner column, an outer column that includes a left-right pair of outer column half bodies having holding surface portions formed on respective inner surface sides thereof, the two holding surface portions constituting a holding inner peripheral surface for holding an outer peripheral surface of the inner column; a pivot bracket in which hanging side portions are formed on either width direction side of a pivot upper portion; a fixing bracket provided with fixing side portions on either width direction side; and a clamping tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Takahiro MANIWA, Norihiko YOKOTA
  • Patent number: 8899128
    Abstract: A steering device includes: an inner column; an outer column that includes a left-right pair of outer column half bodies having holding surface portions formed on respective inner surface sides thereof, the two holding surface portions together constituting a holding inner peripheral surface for holding an outer peripheral surface of the inner column; a pivot bracket in which hanging side portions are formed on either width direction side of a pivot upper portion; a fixing bracket provided with fixing side portions on either width direction side; and a clamping tool. Respective width direction outside surfaces of the two outer column half bodies are sandwiched between the two hanging side portions of the pivot bracket, and the two fixing side portions of the fixing bracket are connected such that the two width direction outside surfaces of the two outer column half bodies can be clamped and released by the clamping tool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Maniwa, Norihiko Yokota
  • Publication number: 20140076091
    Abstract: The steering apparatus includes an inner column, a left-right pair of outer column half bodies, a fixing bracket having fixing side portions, and a clamping tool. In a condition where the inner column is clamped fixedly via the clamping tool, the inner column is held by the holding surface portions of the two outer column half bodies, and an upper recessed indentation portion and a lower recessed indentation portion that do not contact the inner column are formed on the respective holding surface portions of the two outer column half bodies. Strip-form contact portions that contact the inner column are formed in locations on either circumferential direction side of the upper recessed indentation portion and the lower recessed indentation portion, the strip-form contact portions being formed in at least four locations on the two outer column half bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihiko Yokota, Takahiro Maniwa
  • Publication number: 20140026707
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a column pipe; an outer housing having a clamping portion; a pair of stopper plates; a fastener having a bolt shaft that is mounted on the clamping portion so as to fasten the clamping portion to thereby fix the column pipe; and a buffer member. The buffer member is mounted on any one of the pair of facing stopper plates and the bolt shaft and makes contact with the other by mutual displacement, and a plurality of projection ribs having a triangular cross-sectional shape is formed on a contacting surface of the buffer member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: YAMADA MANUFACTURING CO., LTD
    Inventors: Norihiko YOKOTA, Yoshiyuki Satou, Noriyuki Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8616580
    Abstract: A steering apparatus has a steering shaft 7, an inner column 2 that supports the steering shaft 7 via a bearing 81, an outer column A that embraces the inner column 2, a fixing bracket 1 that sandwiches the outer column A from both sides in a width direction, and a tightener 6 that tightens and releases the outer column A together with the fixing bracket 1. The inner column 2 has an embraced cylindrical section 21 that is embraced by the outer column A. A relief section 212 having an outer diameter that is formed smaller than other portions of the embraced cylindrical section 21 is formed in a middle region of the embraced cylindrical section 21 in an axial direction, and the bearing 81 that pivotally supports the steering shaft 7 is fixed to an inner circumferential side of the relief section 212.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Maniwa, Norihiko Yokota
  • Publication number: 20120247258
    Abstract: A steering device includes: an inner column; an outer column that includes a left-right pair of outer column half bodies having holding surface portions formed on respective inner surface sides thereof, the two holding surface portions together constituting a holding inner peripheral surface for holding an outer peripheral surface of the inner column; a pivot bracket in which hanging side portions are formed on either width direction side of a pivot upper portion; a fixing bracket provided with fixing side portions on either width direction side; and a clamping tool. Respective width direction outside surfaces of the two outer column half bodies are sandwiched between the two hanging side portions of the pivot bracket, and the two fixing side portions of the fixing bracket are connected such that the two width direction outside surfaces of the two outer column half bodies can be clamped and released by the clamping tool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro MANIWA, Norihiko YOKOTA
  • Publication number: 20120248752
    Abstract: A steering apparatus has a steering shaft 7, an inner column 2 that supports the steering shaft 7 via a bearing 81, an outer column A that embraces the inner column 2, a fixing bracket 1 that sandwiches the outer column A from both sides in a width direction, and a tightener 6 that tightens and releases the outer column A together with the fixing bracket 1. The inner column 2 has an embraced cylindrical section 21 that is embraced by the outer column A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: Yamada Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro MANIWA, Norihiko Yokota
  • Patent number: 6378903
    Abstract: A shock absorbing apparatus for a steering column includes: a sliding capsule having a collar portion fixed immovably to a vehicle body; and a column bracket having a shock absorbing hole which is elongated in a longitudinal direction of a steering column and in which a fixing through-hole portion on one end side of the elongated hole, a first shock absorbing portion having a shaft-like member in a vicinity of the fixing through-hole portion, and a second shock absorbing portion having a crushable inner peripheral edge at a side edge of the elongated hole are substantially continuously formed in the longitudinal direction. During a collision, the collar portion bends the shaft-like member and crushes the second shock absorbing portion to thereby absorb colliding energy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Yamada Seisakusho
    Inventors: Mitsuo Yabutsuka, Isao Fujiu, Norihiko Yokota, Koji Hirooka