Patents by Inventor Seiji Hamaoka

Seiji Hamaoka 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: 7717234
    Abstract: A lubricating device for an internal combustion engine includes an oil tank chamber defined by being separated from a crank chamber by a partition wall that is formed between a crankcase and a crankcase cover of the internal combustion engine. Oil pumped by a scavenge pump is supplied to a tank supply port which is open at an upper portion of the oil tank chamber to the oil tank chamber. The oil stored in the oil tank chamber is sucked from a feed suction port which is open at a lower portion of the oil tank chamber to be supplied to respective regions for lubrication of the internal combustion engine by a feed pump. An oil passage penetrating inside the oil tank chamber is formed below the tank supply port at an upper portion of the oil tank chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2010
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Hiromi Sumi, Ken Oike, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20100082210
    Abstract: A shift controller for a motor vehicle includes an electric motor configured to rotate a shift drum associated with a transmission. An oil temperature sensor is configured to detect temperature of lubricating oil for the transmission. A controller is configured to control the electric motor. The controller controls the electric motor to operate in a preset first motor duty until a first predetermined time elapses after operation of the electric motor is started when the shift drum is turned from a first predetermined position to a second predetermined position. The controller is also configured to operate the electric motor in a second motor duty calculated based upon oil temperature after the first predetermined time elapses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Kobayashi, Kenichi Machida, Eiji Kittaka, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20100081547
    Abstract: A shift controller with a first clutch CL1 that connects/disconnects the torque to a first main shaft and a second clutch CL2 connects/disconnects the torque to a second main shaft. A transmission is configured so that dog clutches DC1, DC2 for first speed and for second speed are engaged in a predetermined turned position P1-2 of a shift drum. A linear solenoid valve that supplies clutch oil pressure, a shift solenoid that switches a destination of the supply oil pressure between both clutches and a controller that controls the supply oil pressure and the turning of the shift drum are provided. The controller supplies predetermined oil pressure P1 to the CL2 in neutral, switches the destination of supply oil pressure to the CL1 when the shift drum is turned to P1-2 according to a shift instruction to engage gears and supplies maximum oil pressure P3 to the CL1 in predetermined time ta.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Inventors: Masaki KOBAYASHI, Kenichi Machida, Eiji Kittaka, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Patent number: 7631570
    Abstract: A transmission includes a first shifting part and a second shifting part which shift power of an internal combustion engine, a first shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shifting part, and a second shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the second shifting part, and a selection mechanism which selects gear steps. The selection mechanism includes three shifters that are respectively guided by cam grooves of a single shift drum through shift forks. The shifters can be respectively moved to selection positions where the gear steps are selected and to neutral positions where the gear steps are not selected in the first shifting part and the second shifting part. The cam grooves guide the shifters to the selection positions in each of the first shifting part and the second shifting part for each of predetermined rotational positions of the shift drum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka
  • Publication number: 20090188765
    Abstract: In a clutch device wherein a plurality of clutch plates are relatively non-rotatably engaged with a clutch outer, a plurality of clutch disks disposed alternately with the clutch plates are relatively non-rotatably engaged with a clutch inner, and an end plate disposed so that the clutch plates and the clutch disks are disposed between itself and a piston slidably fitted in the clutch outer is relatively non-rotatably and axially movably supported on the clutch outer in the manner of being restricted in movement toward one end side in the axial direction, to prevent the clutch inner from coming out of position at the time of assembling the clutch device into position, thereby to enhance workability in the assembling operation, and to prevent the clutch inner from generating a collision sound by colliding against other member than the component members of the clutch device when the clutch is disengaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2009
    Publication date: July 30, 2009
    Inventors: Kinya MIZUNO, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka, Kazuhiro Yasuda
  • Patent number: 7493756
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine with a torque converter for extending the temperature range of a hydraulic fluid allowing the function of the torque converter toward lower temperatures. A crankshaft is formed with an oil passage extending there along, an inlet hole for supplying a hydraulic fluid to the torque converter and an outlet hole for discharging the hydraulic fluid. The crankshaft includes a shaft bearing for supporting a rotating shaft for the torque converter. The inlet hole is provided at an axial end of the shaft bearing and contacts the shaft bearing. Flow resistance due to the shaft bearing can be greatly reduced to thereby allow a smooth supply of the hydraulic fluid into the torque converter. When the temperature of the hydraulic fluid is low and the viscosity of the hydraulic fluid is high, a quantity of oil at a certain pressure can be supplied to the torque converter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20090025498
    Abstract: A transmission assembly includes a shift drum operable to rotate in first and second directions. The shift drum includes a common speed change position, where both a fastest forward gear and a reverse gear are capable of becoming engaged, in such a manner that a reverse stopper arm fits at a first end of a reverse cam groove formed on the shift drum. When the shift drum is rotated in the second rotation direction, opposite to the first direction, from a state where the reverse gear is engaged, the reverse stopper arm surmounts the outer periphery of the shift drum from the first end of the reverse cam groove, without requiring the application of an external force thereto, so as to become detached and to move towards a second end of the reverse cam groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2008
    Publication date: January 29, 2009
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sotani, Kinya Mizuno, Hiromi Sumi, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Patent number: 7467562
    Abstract: A vehicular transmission has a structure which enables a reverse idle gear to absorb and reduce excessive back torque inputted from drive wheels. At the time of reverse traveling motion, a counter shaft and a reverse gear are connected to each other through the intermediation of a clutch mechanism, whereby the power of the counter shaft is transmitted from the reverse gear, a driven gear, a hollow shaft, and a drive gear to the drive shaft by way of a final gear. When a large back torque is inputted to the final gear from the drive shaft, the inputted back torque is transmitted to the drive gear, and is then further transmitted to the driven gear by way of the hollow shaft. Since the hollow shaft is thin-walled and has reduced rigidity, it undergoes circumferential twisting due to the back torque inputted, whereby the back torque is reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Nomura, Yoshiaki Hori, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20080229854
    Abstract: A vehicle transmission includes first and second main shafts that enable switching of power transmission from an engine; a counter shaft connected to a drive wheel; and gear trains with a plurality of shift stages provided between each of the first and second main shafts and the counter shaft. The vehicle transmission also includes shifters which switch between engagement with and disengagement from a gear constituting part of each of the gear trains so as to switch the established states of the gear trains, and to prevent, during running at the most frequently used shift stage, the occurrence of gear rattle produced by a gear train other than the gear train with such a shift stage. With this configuration, in the running state of using a particular gear train with the highest frequency of the established states among the gear trains, the gear trains, excluding the particular gear train, are in the non-established state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2008
    Publication date: September 25, 2008
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Hiroshi Sotani, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka, Kazuhiro Yasuda
  • Publication number: 20080220936
    Abstract: An automatic transmission assembly having a transmission unit including a plurality of gear pairs, a shift drum, a pair of clutches; and a controller. The controller performs a preliminary upshifting action in advance for angularly moving the shift drum depending on a next gear position in an upshifting direction while rotary drive power is being maintained at a given gear position, and when an upshifting command is output, the controller engages one of the clutches simultaneously with the command. When a downshifting command is output, the controller performs a preliminary downshifting action in advance based on the downshifting command. The partially neutral positions are provided between predetermined angular positions on the shift drum for temporarily reducing the angular speed of the shift drum when the shift drum is being angularly rotated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Kobayashi, Seiji Hamaoka, Kinya Mizuno, Eiji Kittaka, Yusuke Funayose
  • Publication number: 20080184844
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle in which changing a shift position is achieved by sliding a shifter. In sliding the shifter to change the established condition of gear trains respectively corresponding to a plurality of shift positions, the transmission of power from an engine to a main shaft is cut off. A feed mechanism for sliding the shifter is configured to reduce the sliding speed of the shifter or to once stop the sliding operation of the shifter in a neutral condition during the sliding operation of the shifter in changing the established condition of the gear trains. The resulting configuration reduces the engagement noise when changing the shift position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Kazuhiko Sakaguchi, Eiji Kittaka, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20080078619
    Abstract: A lubricating device for an internal combustion engine includes an oil tank chamber defined by being separated from a crank chamber by a partition wall that is formed between a crankcase and a crankcase cover of the internal combustion engine. Oil pumped by a scavenge pump is supplied to a tank supply port which is open at an upper portion of the oil tank chamber to the oil tank chamber. The oil stored in the oil tank chamber is sucked from a feed suction port which is open at a lower portion of the oil tank chamber to be supplied to respective regions for lubrication of the internal combustion engine by a feed pump. An oil passage penetrating inside the oil tank chamber is formed below the tank supply port at an upper portion of the oil tank chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Hiromi Sumi, Ken Oike, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20080081725
    Abstract: A vehicular transmission includes a shift drum center with a plurality of gear train establishment notches disposed, equally spaced apart from each other, on the outer periphery thereof. The gear train establishment notches establish a specific gear train selected from among a plurality of gear trains by selectively engaging a drum stopper arm therein. The shift drum center further includes half neutral notches to be engaged with the drum stopper arm. The half neutral notches are disposed on the outer periphery of the shift drum center and at a central portion between each pair of the gear train establishment notches, respectively. The resulting configuration effectively suppresses an engagement noise during changing of a gear position through a sliding motion of a shifter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sotani, Kinya Mizuno, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka
  • Publication number: 20080078605
    Abstract: A vehicular transmission for an internal combustion engine includes lead grooves disposed on an outer periphery of a shift drum have communication portions connecting a pair of gear train establishment portions extending circumferentially along the shift drum. The communication portions include half neutral portions formed at a center thereof, extending circumferentially along the shift drum. The resulting configuration suppresses an engagement noise to a minimum during changing of a gear position through a sliding motion of a shifter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sotani, Kinya Mizuno, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka
  • Publication number: 20070199782
    Abstract: A transmission for a vehicle is provided which prevents generation of a speed change shock at the time of starting the vehicle from a neutral condition. In the transmission, hydraulic clutches are each put into a connected state according to an action of an oil pressure, and a plurality of selectively engageable speed-stage gear trains are provided so that a neutral condition can be obtained. At the time of shifting from the neutral condition, where the oil pressures in hydraulic clutches are in a lowered state, to a starting condition in which a starting gear train is engaged, pressure in the hydraulic clutch corresponding to the starting gear train is controlled by a control valve, so that the oil pressure in the hydraulic clutch is maintained in the lowered state during and immediately after a shifting operation, and is subsequently increased in response to complete engagement of the starting gear train.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka
  • Publication number: 20070199392
    Abstract: A gear transmission permits an increased flexibility in the layout of shift gears and reduces the axial size of the transmission by providing an engaging portion on a specific one of the shift gears. The gear transmission includes a main shaft having drive gears, a countershaft having driven gears adapted to be respectively driven by the drive gears to set predetermined shift positions, and shifters engageable with specific gears of the drive gears and the driven gears. The specific gears respectively have engaging portions for engaging the shifters, whereby the main shaft rotationally drives the countershaft through any one of the shifters and any one of the specific gears at any one of the predetermined shift positions. Of the engaging portions, the outer diameter of the engaging portion is larger than the outer diameter of a toothed portion of the drive gear as one of the specific gears.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: August 30, 2007
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Patent number: 7258031
    Abstract: In the transmissions of the background art, two larger-diameter gears are mounted on a final shaft thereby causing an increase in weight of the transmission. The present invention reduces the weight of a transmission by mounting only one larger-diameter gear on a final shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hori, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Publication number: 20070074594
    Abstract: A transmission includes a first shifting part and a second shifting part which shift power of an internal combustion engine, a first shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shifting part, and a second shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the second shifting part, and a selection mechanism which selects gear steps. The selection mechanism includes three shifters that are respectively guided by cam grooves of a single shift drum through shift forks. The shifters can be respectively moved to selection positions where the gear steps are selected and to neutral positions where the gear steps are not selected in the first shifting part and the second shifting part. The cam grooves guide the shifters to the selection positions in each of the first shifting part and the second shifting part for each of predetermined rotational positions of the shift drum.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka, Eiji Kittaka
  • Publication number: 20070074593
    Abstract: A transmission M of a vehicular power transmission system has a first shifting part and a second shifting part which shift a power of an internal combustion engine, a first shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shifting part, and a second shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the second shifting part. A start clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shift clutch and the second shift clutch is constructed of a centrifugal clutch C having a clutch shoe. The resulting configuration provides a vehicular power transmission system which has excellent efficiency of power transmission and durability, as well as being capable of being manufactured at low cost, and being capable of relieving a start shock.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Patent number: 7174996
    Abstract: Supplying fluids different in pressure from one end of a revolving shaft without providing a diagonal hole in the revolving shaft for supply holes for feeding hydraulic fluid and lubricating oil. The time for manufacturing and the cost of providing a hydraulic fluid feeder to the revolving shaft is reduced. A hydraulic fluid feeder includes a central hole provided on the centerline of the revolving shaft. Hollow tubes having a smaller outside diameter than the inside diameter of the central hole are concentrically inserted into the central hole and the central hole is partitioned. Either of the passages formed by partitioning functions as a hydraulic fluid supply passage for the hydraulic equipment and the other functions as a hydraulic fluid supply passage for another piece of hydraulic equipment or a lubricating oil supply passage for a bearing provided on the revolving shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Hori, Tohru Nishi, Seiji Hamaoka