Patents by Inventor Satoshi Niimura

Satoshi Niimura 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: 20250100370
    Abstract: An in-wheel motor includes a casing at least partly housed in a wheel; a hub rotatable about an axis with a neck portion disposed in the casing and having a first face spline and a flange portion radially expanding outside the casing to combine with the wheel; a stator including an electromagnet for generating a magnetic flux and fixedly supported by the casing; a rotor rotatably supported by the casing and including a shoulder portion having a second face spline to mesh with the first face spline and a disk portion integral with the shoulder portion and radially expanding from the shoulder portion toward the stator to receive the magnetic flux so as to be driven around the axis; and a bolt screwed in the shoulder portion to force the first face spline in close contact with the second face spline.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2023
    Publication date: March 27, 2025
    Inventors: Yuu Yaguchi, Satoshi Niimura
  • Patent number: 10479199
    Abstract: A power transfer unit is comprised of: a hollow input shaft rotatable about the first axis; an intermediate shaft rotatable about the first axis; an output shaft in mesh with the intermediate shaft and rotatable about the second axis; a clutch coupling the input shaft with the intermediate shaft; an input member rotatable about the first axis and including an eccentric shaft eccentric from the first axis; a fixed member immovable about the first axis; an intermediate member fitting on the eccentric shaft to make an eccentric motion and meshing with the fixed member to make a rotary motion about the eccentric shaft; an output member engaging with and following the intermediate member; and a cam mechanism interposed between the output member and the clutch and converting the rotary motion of the output member into an axial motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: GKN Driveline Japan Ltd
    Inventors: Satoshi Niimura, Masashi Aikawa
  • Publication number: 20180201128
    Abstract: A power transfer unit is comprised of: a hollow input shaft rotatable about the first axis; an intermediate shaft rotatable about the first axis; an output shaft in mesh with the intermediate shaft and rotatable about the second axis; a clutch coupling the input shaft with the intermediate shaft; an input member rotatable about the first axis and including an eccentric shaft eccentric from the first axis; a fixed member immovable about the first axis; an intermediate member fitting on the eccentric shaft to make an eccentric motion and meshing with the fixed member to make a rotary motion about the eccentric shaft; an output member engaging with and following the intermediate member; and a cam mechanism interposed between the output member and the clutch and converting the rotary motion of the output member into an axial motion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2018
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventors: Satoshi Niimura, Masashi Aikawa
  • Publication number: 20170050515
    Abstract: A power transfer unit is comprised of: a casing having a first side and a second side; a first shaft being rotatably supported by a first bearing sitting on the first side and a second bearing sitting on the second side, penetrating the casing from a coupling portion to the second side, and combining with the transmission to receive torque; a second shaft being rotatably supported by a third bearing sitting on the first side and a fourth bearing sitting on the second side and gearing with the first shaft to rotate in parallel with the first shaft, the second shaft comprising a bevel gear; and a third shaft being rotatably supported by the casing and gearing with the bevel gear, wherein the first bearing is disposed closer to the coupling portion than the bevel gear is.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Kohji Iizuka, Satoshi Niimura
  • Patent number: 9169916
    Abstract: A power takeoff unit for an automobile combined with a transmission is comprised of a first rotatable shaft including a first gear; a second rotatable shaft including a second gear, the second shaft being so disposed as to have the second gear engaged with the first gear and intersecting with, or being not parallel and not intersecting with, the first shaft to establish driving link between the first shaft and the second shaft; a casing including an attachment portion having a first internal face having a first internal diameter and an end portion and a second internal face being disposed inward than the first internal face relative to the casing and having a second internal diameter; and a seal member interposed between the first shaft and the second internal face.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: GKN Driveline Japan Ltd.
    Inventor: Satoshi Niimura
  • Patent number: 8657073
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus is capable of easily passing lubricant toward a seal arranged between a higher shat and an opening of a case of the apparatus. The apparatus includes the higher shaft, i.e., a hollow connecting shaft that faces the outside of the transfer case through the opening of the transfer case. The oil seal is arranged between the hollow shaft and the opening of the transfer case. The hollow shaft meshes, through helical spur gears, with an intermediate transferring shaft that is positioned lower than the hollow shaft. A lubricant guide is arranged to receive lubricant splashed up by the ring gear and helical spur gear of the intermediate shaft and guide the received lubricant toward the oil seal and a ball bearing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2014
    Assignee: GKN Driveline Torque Technology KK
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsumoto, Satoshi Niimura, Tomiaki Ochiai, Koji Iizuka, Akihiro Masubuchi, Mitsuaki Kakuta, Atsushi Kawano, Masahiro Kasahara
  • Publication number: 20120285276
    Abstract: A power takeoff unit for an automobile combined with a transmission is comprised of a first rotatable shaft including a first gear; a second rotatable shaft including a second gear, the second shaft being so disposed as to have the second gear engaged with the first gear and intersecting with, or being not parallel and not intersecting with, the first shaft to establish driving link between the first shaft and the second shaft; a casing including an attachment portion having a first internal face having a first internal diameter and an end portion and a second internal face being disposed inward than the first internal face relative to the casing and having a second internal diameter; and a seal member interposed between the first shaft and the second internal face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: GKN Driveline Japan Ltd
    Inventor: Satoshi NIIMURA
  • Publication number: 20090186737
    Abstract: A power transmission apparatus is capable of easily passing lubricant toward a seal arranged between a higher shat and an opening of a case of the apparatus. The apparatus includes the higher shaft, i.e., a hollow connecting shaft that faces the outside of the transfer case through the opening of the transfer case. The oil seal is arranged between the hollow shaft and the opening of the transfer case. The hollow shaft meshes, through helical spur gears, with an intermediate transferring shaft that is positioned lower than the hollow shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 23, 2009
    Applicant: GKN Driveline Torque Technology KK
    Inventors: Takayuki Matsumoto, Satoshi Niimura, Tomiaki Ochiai, Koji Iizuka, Akihiro Masubuchi, Mitsuaki Kakuta, Atsushi Kawano, Masahiro Kasahara