Patents by Inventor Satoshi Kikuchi

Satoshi Kikuchi 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).

  • Publication number: 20180313508
    Abstract: A vehicular lamp is provided with a plurality of light emitting units and configured to independently control ON/OFF of the light emitting units. The plurality of light emitting units are disposed so that a desired light distribution is formed by overlapping scanning of illumination spots formed on a virtual screen by emitted lights thereof. The plurality of light emitting units are divided in a plurality of channels, the same direct drive current is supplied to at least one light emitting unit of all of the light emitting units included in the same channel, and the direct drive current is constantly maintained during a scanning period. The current amount of drive current for each channel is set in accordance with a light distribution mode, and ON/OFF of each light emitting unit is switched at a predetermined timing determined in accordance with the light distribution mode during a scanning period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2018
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Kentarou Murakami, Takao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 10090728
    Abstract: A gearbox includes: a gearbox main body made of resin that constitutes a part of a speed reducer to which a motor is mounted; and a terminal that conducts power supplied from an external source to the motor. The gearbox main body includes a through hole formed to correspond to a mold that is used to maintain a position of the terminal while the terminal is being integrated with the gearbox main body by insert molding. The through hole may function as a vent hole in the gearbox main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: MABUCHI MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Mitsumizo, Yuuki Hirano, Toshiya Yuhi, Hiroki Kouno, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20180178710
    Abstract: A converter controller controls a switching converter. A current detection circuit generates a current detection signal VCS that corresponds to a coil current IL of the switching converter. An error amplifier amplifies the difference between the current detection signal VCS and an analog signal VADIM that indicates a current to be supplied to a semiconductor light source, so as to generate an error signal VERR. A hysteresis comparator compares the current detection signal VCS with an upper threshold signal VTHH and a lower threshold signal VTHL determined according to the error signal VERR, and generates a control pulse SCNT that corresponds to a comparison result. A driver drives a switching transistor according to the control pulse SCNT.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Tomoyuki ICHIKAWA, Satoshi KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 10000150
    Abstract: A lighting circuit drives a light source including plural light emitting elements and includes a bypass switch circuit which includes plural bypass switches connected in parallel with the plural light emitting elements, a boost converter which boosts a power supply voltage to generate a direct current voltage stabilized at a variable target voltage, a buck converter which receives the direct current voltage to supply a driving current stabilized at a target current to the light source and which includes a hysteresis controller configured to stabilize the driving current between a peak value and a bottom value and to change a difference between the peak value and the bottom value such a switching frequency of the buck converter approaches a constant value, and a voltage adjusting circuit which is configured to dynamically change the target voltage of the boost converter according to an output voltage of the buck converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20180168013
    Abstract: A lighting circuit controls lighting/extinguishing of a light source. A driving circuit generates a driving current which is to be supplied to the light source. A clamp circuit clamps a voltage between both ends of the light source to a clamp level in a period in which the light source is to be turned off. The clamp level is defined to be higher than zero and lower than a critical pressure when the light source is turned on/off.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Inventors: Satoshi Kikuchi, Takao Muramatsu
  • Patent number: 9985491
    Abstract: Stator coils each consist of a plurality of rectangular conductor coil pieces, the adjacent connection ends of which are connected to each other on the outer diameter side of a stator. The coil pieces each have: a folded portion folded in a rotation axis direction on the inner diameter side of the stator; inner diameter-side open leg portions opened from both sides of the folded portion toward the circumferential directions of the rotation axis; linear portions each bent from each of the inner diameter-side open leg portions and disposed so as to pass through the stator from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side; and an outer diameter-side open leg portions opened from the linear portions toward the circumferential directions of the rotation axis and extending to the connection ends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichiro Tanaka, Koichi Watanabe, Satoshi Kikuchi, Akihito Nakahara, Kenta Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20180056853
    Abstract: A lighting circuit drives a light source including plural light emitting elements and includes a bypass switch circuit which includes plural bypass switches connected in parallel with the plural light emitting elements, a boost converter which boosts a power supply voltage to generate a direct current voltage stabilized at a variable target voltage, a buck converter which receives the direct current voltage to supply a driving current stabilized at a target current to the light source and which includes a hysteresis controller configured to stabilize the driving current between a peak value and a bottom value and to change a difference between the peak value and the bottom value such a switching frequency of the buck converter approaches a constant value, and a voltage adjusting circuit which is configured to dynamically change the target voltage of the boost converter according to an output voltage of the buck converter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9893581
    Abstract: A permanent magnet type rotational electric machine for an electric vehicle capable of ensuring an electric power generation torque or a peak torque instantaneously assisting a torque of an engine even by using a rare earth-less magnet and also capable of ensuring characteristics for high speed driving is provided. A rotator includes permanent magnets of which at least one side in an axial direction cross section is formed in an arc shape, and includes a plurality of permanent magnets, wherein where a center axis of a magnetic pole is denoted as d axis, and an axis that is 90 degrees from the d axis in an electrical angle is denoted as q axis, the rotator for the permanent magnet type rotational electric machine includes a first permanent magnet pair in which a line connecting a center point of the arc and the arc does not cross the d axis, and a second permanent magnet pair in which the line crosses the d axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20180026497
    Abstract: A motor apparatus includes a sensor magnet configured to rotate integrally with a drive shaft of a motor; a housing including a sensor housing section in which the sensor magnet is located; a pulse output board including a magnetically permeable base and a rotation detection element mounted on a mounting surface of the base and adapted to detect rotation of the sensor magnet and output a pulse; and a terminal electrically connected with the pulse output board, wherein the terminal includes an insertion slot into which the pulse output board is inserted, and the insertion slot opens to the sensor housing section, and when the pulse output board is inserted, the insertion slot supports the pulse output board in a neighborhood of the sensor magnet with a reverse surface on a side opposite the mounting surface of the base facing the sensor magnet and electrically connects the pulse output board.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2016
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamamoto, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20170346372
    Abstract: A sensor magnet holder is used to fix a sensor magnet to a motor shaft. The sensor magnet holder includes a press fitting part to which the motor shaft is press fitted; a holding part provided radially outside the press fitting part to hold the sensor magnet; and a joint part that joins the press fitting part and the holding part. The joint part is configured such that at least a part of the joint part is deflected by an external force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Inventors: Kazuyuki Yamamoto, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9810743
    Abstract: Provided is a deterioration diagnosis system which diagnoses deterioration of an N-phase rotational machine (N denotes a natural number). The deterioration diagnosis system includes a first current sensor to be attached individually to at least lead wires of (N-1)-phases in a rotational machine, the first current sensor being able to detect a current amplitude arising from a plurality of deterioration causes, and a second current sensor to be attached collectively to the lead wires of all phases in the rotational machine, the second current sensor being able to detect a current amplitude arising from a plurality of deterioration causes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kohji Maki, Shinya Yuda, Hiroaki Kojima, Satoshi Kikuchi, Hisashi Endo
  • Patent number: 9776559
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the vehicular display system, the drawing unit operates when the vehicle speed is within a predetermined low speed area, starts an operation thereof when the vehicle speed becomes above a lower limit of the low speed area, and stops the operation thereof when the vehicle speed exceeds an upper limit of the low speed area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko Hayakawa, Takao Muramatsu, Naoki Sugiura, Syouhei Yanagidu, Satoshi Kikuchi, Hiroaki Hara, Takayoshi Ishizuka, Hidetada Tanaka, Takeshi Masuda
  • Publication number: 20170268952
    Abstract: There is provided a pressure measuring device including: a first pressure gauge connected to a processing chamber configured to process a process target and configured to measure an internal pressure of the processing chamber when the process target is being processed; a second pressure gauge connected to the processing chamber; and a first switching valve configured to disconnect the second pressure gauge from the processing chamber when the process target is being processed inside the processing chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Satoshi KIKUCHI, Tsuneyuki OKABE, Satoru KOIKE
  • Patent number: 9748806
    Abstract: A permanent magnet rotating electrical machine includes a rotor which has permanent magnets buried in a plurality of permanent magnet insertion slots that are provided in a rotor core, and the rotor is rotatably supported by a rotary shaft with a gap on the inner peripheral side of a stator. When the axis of magnetic flux for the permanent magnet is set as a d-axis and the position deviated from the d-axis by electrical angle of 90° is set as a q-axis, the permanent magnet insertion slot is located on the q-axis and a first permanent magnet magnetized in the direction orthogonal to the q-axis is buried in the permanent magnet insertion slot. The permanent magnet insertion slot is located on the d-axis and a second permanent magnet magnetized in the direction parallel to the d-axis is buried in the permanent magnet insertion slot, while at least one or more third permanent magnets buried in the permanent magnet insertion slots are provided between the first permanent magnet and the second permanent magnet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Koka, Satoshi Kikuchi, Yutaka Matsunobu, Yasuyuki Saito, Sadahiro Hamahata
  • Patent number: 9680341
    Abstract: Provided is a rotating electric machine that combines high efficiency and high strength reliability. The rotating electric machine includes: a stator having a coil and a stator core; and a rotor opposed to the stator with a gap intervening between the rotor and the stator, the rotor having permanent magnets 3 and a rotor core 2. The rotor is configured such that the permanent magnets are buried in V-shape at hole-shaped slots 4 disposed in the rotor core to form one pole, and the pole is formed in plurality in a circumferential direction. Each of the slots is an open slot partially opened toward an outer circumference of the rotor core. The slot is provided with a hook-shaped structure 6 to support corresponding one of the permanent magnets in an open portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi Automotive Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Norio Takeda, Satoshi Kikuchi, Yutaka Matsunobu
  • Publication number: 20170070121
    Abstract: A gearbox includes: a gearbox main body made of resin that constitutes a part of a speed reducer to which a motor is mounted; and a terminal that conducts power supplied from an external source to the motor. The gearbox main body includes a through hole formed to correspond to a mold that is used to maintain a position of the terminal while the terminal is being integrated with the gearbox main body by insert molding. The through hole may function as a vent hole in the gearbox main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Inventors: Takao Mitsumizo, Yuuki Hirano, Toshiya Yuhi, Hiroki Kouno, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9570957
    Abstract: A gear box includes a gear box body of a reducer to which a motor is mounted. The gear box body includes a worm, wheel holding section where a worm wheel of the reducer is held, and a motor holding section, where a part of the motor is contained, the motor holding section having a motor mounting opening. The motor holding section is configured such that a bottom of the motor holding section is provided in a region between a line L1 and a line L2. Here, the line L1 passes through the center C of the worm wheel holding section and is perpendicular to the axis line X of a motor shaft. The line L2 is a tangent line passing through an outer edge portion located near a circular outer peripheral wall of the worm wheel holding section on a motor side and is perpendicular to the axis line X of the motor shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Mabuchi Motor Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Takashi Tamaki, Satoshi Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20170033624
    Abstract: A permanent magnet type rotational electric machine for an electric vehicle capable of ensuring an electric power generation torque or a peak torque instantaneously assisting a torque of an engine even by using a rare earth-less magnet and also capable of ensuring characteristics for high speed driving is provided. A rotator includes permanent magnets of which at least one side in an axial direction cross section is formed in an arc shape, and includes a plurality of permanent magnets, wherein where a center axis of a magnetic pole is denoted as d axis, and an axis that is 90 degrees from the d axis in an electrical angle is denoted as q axis, the rotator for the permanent magnet type rotational electric machine includes a first permanent magnet pair in which a line connecting a center point of the arc and the arc does not cross the d axis, and a second permanent magnet pair in which the line crosses the d axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventor: Satoshi KIKUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160329766
    Abstract: Stator coils each consist of a plurality of rectangular conductor coil pieces, the adjacent connection ends of which are connected to each other on the outer diameter side of a stator. The coil pieces each have: a folded portion folded in a rotation axis direction on the inner diameter side of the stator; inner diameter-side open leg portions opened from both sides of the folded portion toward the circumferential directions of the rotation axis; linear portions each bent from each of the inner diameter-side open leg portions and disposed so as to pass through the stator from the inner diameter side to the outer diameter side; and an outer diameter-side open leg portions opened from the linear portions toward the circumferential directions of the rotation axis and extending to the connection ends.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2014
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Yuichiro TANAKA, Koichi WATANABE, Satoshi KIKUCHI, Akihito NAKAHARA, Kenta DEGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20160297357
    Abstract: In one embodiment of the vehicular display system, the drawing unit operates when the vehicle speed is within a predetermined low speed area, starts an operation thereof when the vehicle speed becomes above a lower limit of the low speed area, and stops the operation thereof when the vehicle speed exceeds an upper limit of the low speed area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2016
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Michihiko HAYAKAWA, Takao MURAMATSU, Naoki SUGIURA, Syouhei YANAGIDU, Satoshi KIKUCHI, Hiroaki HARA, Takayoshi ISHIZUKA, Hidetada TANAKA, Takeshi MASUDA