Patents by Inventor Takao ASAKAWA

Takao ASAKAWA 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: 20240286666
    Abstract: A steering device includes a cylindrical support tube, a speed reducer, and a housing. The support tube includes a flange, and supports a steering shaft such that the steering shaft is rotatable. The speed reducer applies torque to the steering shaft. The housing includes a cylindrical portion that houses the speed reducer. The flange and the cylindrical portion are disposed coaxially, and coupled to each other by a bolt. The flange and the cylindrical portion include an engagement portion, at which the flange and the cylindrical portion are engaged with each other in a radial direction of the flange, at a different location from a location at which the bolt is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naofumi KAWAMURA, Hiroaki SUZUKI, Tetsuya EBISU, Yuki FUJIOKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Kosuke ITO, Takahiro BAITO, Takao NAKAAKI, Yoshiaki MURAKAMI, Kazuhisa ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240286665
    Abstract: A steering system includes a support tube including a flange and a housing including a cylindrical portion housing a speed reducer. The support tube includes a column bracket attached to a vehicle body. The housing is supported by a support shaft in such a manner that the housing can rotate with respect to the vehicle body. The flange and the cylindrical portion are connected to each other by bolts. The flange has insertion holes into which the bolts are inserted. Clearance that allows relative rotation between the flange and the cylindrical portion is present between the outer peripheral surface of the bolt and the inner peripheral surface of the insertion hole of the flange. An elastic body that reduces the relative rotation between the flange and the cylindrical portion is interposed in a compressed state between the bolt and the flange.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naofumi KAWAMURA, Hiroaki SUZUKI, Tetsuya EBISU, Yuki FUJIOKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Kosuke ITO, Takahiro BAITO, Takao NAKAAKI, Yoshiaki MURAKAMI, Kazuhisa ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240286667
    Abstract: A steering column device includes a lower tube that is attached to a vehicle body so as to be pivotable in an up-down direction, a column shaft to which a steering wheel is attached, an upper tube that rotatably supports the column shaft and that also is attached to the lower tube so as to be movable in a front-rear direction, a motor for generating motor torque, a link mechanism that couples the lower tube and the upper tube so as to be capable of moving in conjunction, and a power transmission mechanism that acts to transmit the motor torque to the link mechanism. The link mechanism causes the pivoting of the lower tube in the up-down direction and the movement of the upper tube in the front-rear direction to be performed in conjunction, when the motor torque is transmitted to the link mechanism by the power transmission mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naofumi KAWAMURA, Hiroaki SUZUKI, Tetsuya EBISU, Yuki FUJIOKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Kosuke ITO, Takahiro BAITO, Takao NAKAAKI, Yoshiaki MURAKAMI, Kazuhisa ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240286670
    Abstract: A steering device includes a cylindrical support tube that rotatably supports a steering shaft, a speed reducer configured to apply a torque to the steering shaft, and a housing that includes a cylindrical portion housing the speed reducer. A flange of the support tube and the cylindrical portion are disposed coaxially and coupled to each other with a bolt. A bearing support member is fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion. The steering shaft extends through the bearing support member. A bearing is disposed between an outer peripheral surface of the steering shaft and an inner peripheral surface of the bearing support member. The bearing support member includes a deformation allowing portion configured to allow elastic deformation of the bearing support member in a radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2022
    Publication date: August 29, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroaki SUZUKI, Naofumi KAWAMURA, Tetsuya EBISU, Yuki FUJIOKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Kosuke ITO, Takahiro BAITO, Takao NAKAAKI, Yoshiaki MURAKAMI, Kazuhisa ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20240271689
    Abstract: A gear includes an annular sleeve and a tooth portion provided by injection molding to cover a part of the sleeve. The sleeve is a stacked body including a plurality of annular steel plates stacked in an axial direction of the sleeve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2022
    Publication date: August 15, 2024
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT COLUMN SYSTEMS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naofumi KAWAMURA, Hiroaki SUZUKI, Tetsuya EBISU, Yuki FUJIOKA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Kosuke ITO, Yasuhiro TANIOKA, Masayoshi SAKUDA, Takahiro BAITO, Takao NAKAAKI, Yoshiaki MURAKAMI, Takashi YAMAGUCHI, Kazuhisa ASAKAWA
  • Patent number: 12025012
    Abstract: A variable capacity turbocharger includes a turbine impeller, a gas inlet passage fluidly coupled to the turbine impeller, a nozzle vane located in the gas inlet passage, a drive assembly that rotates the nozzle vane, a drive chamber accommodating the drive assembly and including a region configured to store liquid in the drive chamber, and a liquid passage fluidly coupled with the drive chamber and configured to discharge the liquid from the drive chamber. A surface of the liquid passage has a greater surface roughness than the region of the drive chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2024
    Inventors: Naotoshi Shimizu, Kengo Ikeda, Takao Asakawa, Hayato Shibayama, Kenichi Segawa, Ryosuke Miyao, Takafumi Ueda
  • Publication number: 20240084715
    Abstract: A turbine includes a turbine wheel, a housing having a flow path for a gas, a variable geometry device to guide the gas from the flow path to the turbine wheel, and a biasing member. The variable geometry device includes one or more nozzle vane member, each having a nozzle vane, a nozzle shaft and a nozzle link plate. The biasing member is in contact with the nozzle link plate of the nozzle vane member, to urge the nozzle vane member against a contact surface of the turbine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Kenichi SEGAWA, Hayato SHIBAYAMA, Takao ASAKAWA, Kengo IKEDA, Naotoshi SHIMIZU, Taiki YOSHIZAKI, Ryosuke MIYAO
  • Publication number: 20240018879
    Abstract: A variable capacity turbocharger includes a turbine impeller, a gas inlet passage fluidly coupled to the turbine impeller, a nozzle vane located in the gas inlet passage, a drive assembly that rotates the nozzle vane, a drive chamber accommodating the drive assembly and including a region configured to store liquid in the drive chamber, and a liquid passage fluidly coupled with the drive chamber and configured to discharge the liquid from the drive chamber. A surface of the liquid passage has a greater surface roughness than the region of the drive chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2023
    Publication date: January 18, 2024
    Inventors: Naotoshi SHIMIZU, Kengo IKEDA, Takao ASAKAWA, Hayato SHIBAYAMA, Kenichi SEGAWA, Ryosuke MIYAO, Takafumi UEDA
  • Publication number: 20230287798
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing accommodating a turbine wheel, a bearing housing rotatably supporting a rotating shaft to which the turbine wheel is fixed, a variable geometry mechanism accommodated in the turbine housing, surrounding the turbine wheel, and configured to guide a fluid to the turbine wheel, and a spring member held by the variable geometry mechanism and the bearing housing in an axial direction along the rotating shaft. The variable geometry mechanism has an inner circumferential portion surrounding a through hole in which the turbine wheel or the rotating shaft is disposed, and an outer circumferential portion located between the spring member and the turbine housing. The outer circumferential portion is distanced further away from a rotational axis of the rotating shaft than the inner circumferential portion. The outer circumferential portion includes a first end face contacting the spring member, and a second end face contacting the turbine housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventor: Takao ASAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11585266
    Abstract: A variable geometry mechanism include an annular nozzle ring, a drive ring rotatable about a central axis of the nozzle ring, wherein the drive ring includes, a plurality of attachment portions formed on a surface of the drive ring and a self-stopper projecting from the surface of the drive ring on which the attachment portions are formed, wherein the self-stopper is located radially inward from the attachment portions so as to be closer to the central axis of the nozzle ring, a plurality of nozzle vanes rotatably coupled to the nozzle ring and a plurality of nozzle link plates extending from the nozzle ring to the drive ring, wherein the self-stopper is configured to regulate a moving range of at least one of the nozzle link plates during the rotation of the drive ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Inventor: Takao Asakawa
  • Patent number: 11326514
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine, a bearing housing, and a variable capacity mechanism. The variable capacity mechanism includes first and second plates and a connecting pin connecting the first and second plates to each other. The connecting pin includes a main body portion disposed between the first plate and the second plate, a first shaft portion disposed in a first through-hole of the first plate, and a second shaft portion disposed in a second through-hole of the second plate. The first plate is disposed on the side opposite to the bearing housing with respect to the second plate. The thickness of the first plate is larger than the thickness of the second plate and the length of the first shaft portion is equal to the length of the second shaft portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventor: Takao Asakawa
  • Patent number: 11118508
    Abstract: Provided is a variable capacity turbocharger, including: a drive ring including a main body portion having an annular shape; a first projection portion and a second projection portion, which are formed on the main body portion, and are arranged apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the main body portion so as to sandwich a link plate to which a nozzle vane is mounted; and a cutout portion, which is formed in a portion of the main body portion between the first projection portion and the second projection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Asakawa, Kenichi Segawa, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi, Kenji Bunno
  • Publication number: 20210222614
    Abstract: A variable geometry mechanism include an annular nozzle ring, a drive ring rotatable about a central axis of the nozzle ring, wherein the drive ring includes, a plurality of attachment portions formed on a surface of the drive ring and a self-stopper projecting from the surface of the drive ring on which the attachment portions are formed, wherein the self-stopper is located radially inward from the attachment portions so as to be closer to the central axis of the nozzle ring, a plurality of nozzle vanes rotatably coupled to the nozzle ring and a plurality of nozzle link plates extending from the nozzle ring to the drive ring, wherein the self-stopper is configured to regulate a moving range of at least one of the nozzle link plates during the rotation of the drive ring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 5, 2021
    Publication date: July 22, 2021
    Inventor: Takao ASAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210115850
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine, a bearing housing, and a variable capacity mechanism. The variable capacity mechanism includes first and second plates and a connecting pin connecting the first and second plates to each other. The connecting pin includes a main body portion disposed between the first plate and the second plate, a first shaft portion disposed in a first through-hole of the first plate, and a second shaft portion disposed in a second through-hole of the second plate. The first plate is disposed on the side opposite to the bearing housing with respect to the second plate. The thickness of the first plate is larger than the thickness of the second plate and the length of the first shaft portion is equal to the length of the second shaft portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2020
    Publication date: April 22, 2021
    Inventor: Takao ASAKAWA
  • Patent number: 10975886
    Abstract: Provided is a turbocharger, including: a turbine impeller (impeller); nozzle vanes provided on a radially outer side of the turbine impeller; a nozzle ring to which the nozzle vanes are provided; a heat-shielding member including: an outer contact portion, which is arranged between a back surface of the turbine impeller and a wall portion of a bearing housing (housing), and is brought into contact with the nozzle ring from a side opposite to the nozzle vanes; and an inner contact portion, which is at a position on an inner side in a radial direction of the shaft with respect to the outer contact portion, and is brought into contact with a wall portion of the bearing housing from the turbine impeller side; and a separation portion, which is formed on the wall portion of the bearing housing, and is recessed toward a side of separating from the heat-shielding member with respect to a contact portion to be brought into contact with the inner contact portion of the heat-shielding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Asakawa, Kenichi Segawa, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi, Kenji Bunno
  • Patent number: 10858952
    Abstract: A projecting portion is formed on a nozzle ring, projects to a radially outer side with respect to a cylindrical portion, extends in a circumferential direction, and is held in abutment against a housing from a side of a link plate. A plate is faced to the nozzle ring on a side of a nozzle vane, and is configured to form a flow passage in a clearance to the nozzle ring. A pin is inserted into a first insertion portion formed in the nozzle ring and a second insertion portion formed in the plate, and to which the nozzle ring and the plate are mounted while the clearance is maintained. A counter bore groove is formed in the first insertion portion of the nozzle ring on the side of the link plate, and cut out the projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Asakawa, Kenichi Segawa, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi, Kenji Bunno
  • Patent number: 10801405
    Abstract: Provided is a variable capacity turbocharger, including: a drive ring including a main body portion having an annular shape; a first projection portion and a second projection portion, which are formed on the main body portion, and are arranged apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the main body portion so as to sandwich a link plate to which a nozzle vane is mounted; and a cutout portion, which is formed in a portion of the main body portion between the first projection portion and the second projection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Asakawa, Kenichi Segawa, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi, Kenji Bunno
  • Publication number: 20200300162
    Abstract: Provided is a variable capacity turbocharger, including: a drive ring including a main body portion having an annular shape; a first projection portion and a second projection portion, which are formed on the main body portion, and are arranged apart from one another in a circumferential direction of the main body portion so as to sandwich a link plate to which a nozzle vane is mounted; and a cutout portion, which is formed in a portion of the main body portion between the first projection portion and the second projection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao ASAKAWA, Kenichi SEGAWA, Takahiro KOBAYASHI, Ryota SAKISAKA, Kazuko TAKEUCHI, Kenji BUNNO
  • Patent number: 10677086
    Abstract: A variable displacement supercharger includes a turbine having: a turbine housing that forms a scroll flow passage disposed around a turbine impeller; a variable nozzle unit that includes a second nozzle ring that faces the scroll flow passage and forms a part of an inner wall of the scroll flow passage; and an annular seal member that seals the gap between the turbine housing and the second nozzle ring. The seal member has a disc spring structure that is inserted into the gap and biases the turbine housing and the second nozzle ring in an axial direction of rotation, and is arranged further inside than the scroll flow passage in the radial direction of the turbine impeller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2020
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takahiro Kobayashi, Kenji Bunno, Takao Asakawa, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi
  • Patent number: 10662871
    Abstract: Provided is a nozzle drive mechanism, including: a bearing having a bearing hole; a drive shaft which is axially supported in the bearing hole so as to be rotatable; a drive lever including: an insertion portion into which another end portion (end portion) of the drive shaft protruding from the bearing hole is inserted; and a coupling portion, which is positioned on the bearing side with respect to a center of the drive shaft in an axial direction, and projects outward in a radial direction of the drive shaft from the insertion portion; a link pin coupled to the coupling portion; and a rod member, which is connected to the link pin, is positioned on a side opposite to the bearing with respect to the coupling portion, and is provided to an actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: IHI Corporation
    Inventors: Takao Asakawa, Kenichi Segawa, Takahiro Kobayashi, Ryota Sakisaka, Kazuko Takeuchi, Kenji Bunno