Patents by Inventor Shuji Muraoka
Shuji Muraoka 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).
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Publication number: 20230067279Abstract: There are provided a side panel constituting a vehicle side face at a higher level than a damper attachment portion suspending a rear wheel, a retractor fixed to a cabin-inside face of the side panel, a frame member forming a closed-cross section extending vertically in corporation with the side panel, and a reinforcing member fixed to the side panel. The reinforcing member comprises a retractor attachment portion to attach the retractor, a gusset portion to partition the closed-cross section of a C pillar reinforcement vertically, and a vibration-damping joint portion joined to the side panel via a vibration-damping material. Herein, the reinforcing member is formed integrally by a member which is configured to be continuous over a range of the retractor attachment portion, the gusset portion and the vibration-damping joint portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2022Publication date: March 2, 2023Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shuji MURAOKA, Kosuke NAGATOMO
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Patent number: 11420682Abstract: In a vehicle having a large side door opening, a vehicle-body structure suppresses, during a collision in which an apron reinforcement recedes, bending deformation of a hinge pillar at a mounting portion of the apron reinforcement. Embodiments include a reinforcement member inside a closed cross-section of a hinge pillar overlapping a mounting portion of an apron reinforcement in the up-down direction. The reinforcement member includes a body extending in the up-down direction spaced apart from the hinge pillar, a front flange portion at a front portion of the body, a lateral flange portion at a rear portion of the body, a front ridge portion between the body and the front flange portion, and a rear ridge portion between the body and the lateral flange portion. Each of the front ridge portion and the rear ridge portion is continuously provided over the reinforcement member in the vehicle up-down direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2020Date of Patent: August 23, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shuji Muraoka, Yusuke Desaki, Tsuneaki Zenitani, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 11345407Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an upper vehicle-body structure that suppresses bending deformation of a front pillar portion with respect to a hinge pillar portion by suppressing the crushing of a closed cross-section portion when external force is applied to the front pillar portion in the direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: March 6, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Tsuneaki Zenitani, Shuji Muraoka, Yusuke Desaki, Arata Osako
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Patent number: 11273870Abstract: To provide a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which can achieve both absorption of a front-end collision load acting on a side sill via a front wheel and prevention of receding of the front wheel toward the vehicle-width-direction inner side.Type: GrantFiled: May 22, 2019Date of Patent: March 15, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shuji Muraoka, Makoto Morimoto, Haruki Kiguchi, Satoshi Nakamura
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Patent number: 11142252Abstract: An upper vehicle-body structure including: a pair of left and right roof side rails; strikers to which upper portions of rear doors are engaged; a second roof reinforcement that couples the roof side rails to each other at substantially same locations as the strikers; striker mounting members on which the strikers are mounted; and reinforcement members that overlap with the roof side rails from vehicle-width-direction outer sides at substantially same locations as the striker mounting members, in which the reinforcement members each have a lower end located on a vehicle upper side than a joining location between each of the striker mounting members and each of the roof side rails and are joined to the roof side rails overlapping with the reinforcement members in a vehicle up-down direction.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2020Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yusuke Desaki, Makoto Morimoto, Shuji Muraoka, Tomomi Nishimori
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Patent number: 11077881Abstract: A lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle includes a floor panel, a pair of side frames, a battery, a left and right pair of side sills, a cross-member, an impact absorption member, and a reinforcement member. The impact absorption member is disposed at a lower surface side of the floor panel and at a position overlapping the cross-member in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body so as to extend in a vehicle width direction between the side frames and the side sills. Also, the impact absorption member is joined to the side frames and the side sills. The reinforcement member is disposed in the cross-member to extend in the vehicle width direction between portions of the cross-member, which correspond to the left and right pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction.Type: GrantFiled: February 21, 2018Date of Patent: August 3, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yamato Matsuda, Nobuyuki Nakayama, Shuji Muraoka
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Patent number: 11014613Abstract: A side body vehicle structure is disclosed that has a pair of left and right side sills and opposite swing type side doors. The side sills may have an upper flange portion facing the rear door in the vehicle width direction which functions as a rear door facing part, and the upper flange portion of a more forward part of the vehicle than the rear door facing part may function as a front door facing part. The rear door facing part may be formed in a shape having a length in the vehicle vertical direction longer than a length in a vehicle vertical direction of the front door facing part. In a vertical cross section along the vehicle width direction, a gusset member may form a closed cross section with the side sill inner member, and an upper end thereof may be joined to the rear door facing part.Type: GrantFiled: May 1, 2019Date of Patent: May 25, 2021Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Shuji Muraoka, Yamato Matsuda, Toshihiro Takebayashi, Toshiyuki Koga, Kazuhisa Hatano, Morihide Yamada
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Publication number: 20210147003Abstract: In a vehicle having a large side door opening, a vehicle-body structure suppresses, during a collision in which an apron reinforcement recedes, bending deformation of a hinge pillar at a mounting portion of the apron reinforcement. Embodiments include a reinforcement member inside a closed cross-section of a hinge pillar overlapping a mounting portion of an apron reinforcement in the up-down direction. The reinforcement member includes a body extending in the up-down direction spaced apart from the hinge pillar, a front flange portion at a front portion of the body, a lateral flange portion at a rear portion of the body, a front ridge portion between the body and the front flange portion, and a rear ridge portion between the body and the lateral flange portion. Each of the front ridge portion and the rear ridge portion is continuously provided over the reinforcement member in the vehicle up-down direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2020Publication date: May 20, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shuji Muraoka, Yusuke Desaki, Tsuneaki Zenitani, Satoshi Nakamura
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Publication number: 20210086836Abstract: To provide a vehicle-body structure of a vehicle which can achieve both absorption of a front-end collision load acting on a side sill via a front wheel and prevention of receding of the front wheel toward the vehicle-width-direction inner side.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2019Publication date: March 25, 2021Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Shuji MURAOKA, Makoto MORIMOTO, Haruki KIGUCHI, Satoshi NAKAMURA
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Publication number: 20200385063Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an upper vehicle-body structure that suppresses bending deformation of a front pillar portion with respect to a hinge pillar portion by suppressing the crushing of a closed cross-section portion when external force is applied to the front pillar portion in the direction of bending the front pillar portion in the bending direction thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Tsuneaki ZENITANI, Shuji MURAOKA, Yusuke DESAKI, Arata OSAKO
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Publication number: 20200385064Abstract: An upper vehicle-body structure including: a pair of left and right roof side rails; strikers to which upper portions of rear doors are engaged; a second roof reinforcement that couples the roof side rails to each other at substantially same locations as the strikers; striker mounting members on which the strikers are mounted; and reinforcement members that overlap with the roof side rails from vehicle-width-direction outer sides at substantially same locations as the striker mounting members, in which the reinforcement members each have a lower end located on a vehicle upper side than a joining location between each of the striker mounting members and each of the roof side rails and are joined to the roof side rails overlapping with the reinforcement members in a vehicle up-down direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2020Publication date: December 10, 2020Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yusuke DESAKI, Makoto MORIMOTO, Shuji MURAOKA, Tomomi NISHIMORI
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Publication number: 20200031399Abstract: A lower vehicle body structure for a vehicle includes a floor panel, a pair of side frames, a battery, a left and right pair of side sills, a cross-member, an impact absorption member, and a reinforcement member. The impact absorption member is disposed at a lower surface side of the floor panel and at a position overlapping the cross-member in a front-rear direction of the vehicle body so as to extend in a vehicle width direction between the side frames and the side sills. Also, the impact absorption member is joined to the side frames and the side sills. The reinforcement member is disposed in the cross-member to extend in the vehicle width direction between portions of the cross-member, which correspond to the left and right pair of side frames in the vehicle width direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yamato MATSUDA, Nobuyuki NAKAYAMA, Shuji MURAOKA
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Publication number: 20190344830Abstract: A side body vehicle structure is disclosed that has a pair of left and right side sills and opposite swing type side doors. The side sills may have an upper flange portion facing the rear door in the vehicle width direction which functions as a rear door facing part, and the upper flange portion of a more forward part of the vehicle than the rear door facing part may function as a front door facing part. The rear door facing part may be formed in a shape having a length in the vehicle vertical direction longer than a length in a vehicle vertical direction of the front door facing part. In a vertical cross section along the vehicle width direction, a gusset member may form a closed cross section with the side sill inner member, and an upper end thereof may be joined to the rear door facing part.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 1, 2019Publication date: November 14, 2019Inventors: Shuji Muraoka, Yamato Matsuda, Toshihiro Takebayashi, Toshiyuki Koga, Kazuhisa Hatano, Morihide Yamada
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Patent number: 10315704Abstract: A rear frame, a roof side rail, a rear wheelhouse, a C pillar, and a rear suspension housing reinforcement which interconnects the C pillar and the rear wheelhouse are provided. Herein, the rear suspension housing reinforcement has a cutout portion which is configured to extend obliquely rearward and upward at a rear lower end portion thereof, the cutout portion being not connected to the rear wheelhouse.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2017Date of Patent: June 11, 2019Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke Kiyoshita, Shuji Muraoka, Yuki Yamachika
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Patent number: 10308288Abstract: A side vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a rear frame, a roof side rail, a rear wheelhouse, a C pillar, and a suspension housing reinforcement which interconnects the C pillar and the rear wheelhouse in a vertical direction, wherein the suspension housing reinforcement comprises a front suspension housing reinforcement which extends downward from a lower end portion of the C pillar along an extension direction of the C pillar and connects to an upper portion of the rear wheelhouse and a rear suspension housing reinforcement which is positioned in back of the front suspension housing reinforcement, extends rearward and downward from a rear portion of the C pillar and/or a rear portion of the front suspension housing reinforcement, and connects to the upper portion of the rear wheelhouse.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2017Date of Patent: June 4, 2019Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke Kiyoshita, Shuji Muraoka
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Publication number: 20180244318Abstract: A side vehicle-body structure of a vehicle comprises a rear frame, a roof side rail, a rear wheelhouse, a C pillar, and a suspension housing reinforcement which interconnects the C pillar and the rear wheelhouse in a vertical direction, wherein the suspension housing reinforcement comprises a front suspension housing reinforcement which extends downward from a lower end portion of the C pillar along an extension direction of the C pillar and connects to an upper portion of the rear wheelhouse and a rear suspension housing reinforcement which is positioned in back of the front suspension housing reinforcement, extends rearward and downward from a rear portion of the C pillar and/or a rear portion of the front suspension housing reinforcement, and connects to the upper portion of the rear wheelhouse.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2017Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke KIYOSHITA, Shuji MURAOKA
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Publication number: 20180244319Abstract: A rear frame, a roof side rail, a rear wheelhouse, a C pillar, and a rear suspension housing reinforcement which interconnects the C pillar and the rear wheelhouse are provided. Herein, the rear suspension housing reinforcement has a cutout portion which is configured to extend obliquely rearward and upward at a rear lower end portion thereof, the cutout portion being not connected to the rear wheelhouse.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2017Publication date: August 30, 2018Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Daisuke KIYOSHITA, Shuji MURAOKA, Yuki YAMACHIKA
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Patent number: 9604674Abstract: A rear pillar inner provided at a side panel inner and extending upward from a front-side upper portion of a rear wheel house, a rear pillar reinforcement joined to an outside portion of the rear pillar inner, and an outside reinforcing member connecting an outside portion of the side panel inner and the rear wheel house are provided. The rear pillar reinforcement has a rear-side pillar-reinforcement ridge portion extending vertically. The outside reinforcing member has a front-side reinforcing-member ridge portion extending vertically. A lower end portion of the rear pillar reinforcement and an upper end portion of the outside reinforcing member are joined such that the both ridge portions are arranged to align substantially straightly, when viewed from the side, and to slant in such a manner that an upper side thereof is positioned relatively forward compared to a lower side thereof.Type: GrantFiled: June 15, 2015Date of Patent: March 28, 2017Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Hiroaki Fujii, Shuji Muraoka, Toshiharu Ikeda
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Publication number: 20160023685Abstract: A rear pillar inner provided at a side panel inner and extending upward from a front-side upper portion of a rear wheel house, a rear pillar reinforcement joined to an outside portion of the rear pillar inner, and an outside reinforcing member connecting an outside portion of the side panel inner and the rear wheel house are provided. The rear pillar reinforcement has a rear-side pillar-reinforcement ridge portion extending vertically. The outside reinforcing member has a front-side reinforcing-member ridge portion extending vertically. A lower end portion of the rear pillar reinforcement and an upper end portion of the outside reinforcing member are joined such that the both ridge portions are arranged to align substantially straightly, when viewed from the side, and to slant in such a manner that an upper side thereof is positioned relatively forward compared to a lower side thereof.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 15, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Hiroaki FUJII, Shuji MURAOKA, Toshiharu IKEDA
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Patent number: 5246263Abstract: In a rear body structure of a vehicle, a rear pillar forms a rear edge portion of an opening for a door which is formed on one side portion of the vehicle body. A rear fender is connected to the rear pillar and extends rearwardly therefrom. A suspension tower is connected to the rear fender at a distance from the rear pillar. A reinforcement is connected to upper portions of the rear fender and the suspension tower so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle body. An impact absorbing portion is provided between the rear pillar and the suspension tower to prevent the rear pillar from being deformed in response to forward displacement of the suspension tower which is caused by a forward impact load acting on the suspension tower.Type: GrantFiled: January 15, 1992Date of Patent: September 21, 1993Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Matsuhiro Tanaka, Toshiharu Ikeda, Shuji Muraoka