Patents by Inventor Takeshi Toyota

Takeshi Toyota 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: 11745821
    Abstract: A straddled vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a steering shaft supported by the vehicle body frame, a handlebar that includes a left grip and a right grip and is connected to the steering shaft, a steering wheel, and a steering assist device that applies assist force in a same direction as that of a steering torque that has been input to the handlebar by a rider to the steering shaft. The steering assist device causes the assist force to decrease as speed of the vehicle increases in a first vehicle speed zone and causes the assist force to increase as the speed of the vehicle increases in a second vehicle speed zone that is higher than the first vehicle speed zone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Toyota, Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11173979
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes: a body frame; a right wheel and a left wheel; a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame; a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame in a left direction or in the right direction by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame; and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to change the tilt angle of the body frame in the left direction or in the right direction in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider while the leaning vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11014600
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame, a steered wheel and a non-steered wheel, a motor, a left-right-tilt-angle-detection-section, and a control device that controls the motor to apply a steering force to the steered wheel. The steering force steers the steered wheel to turn the leaning vehicle rightward in a case where the body frame tilts rightward, and steers the steered wheel to turn the leaning vehicle leftward in a case where the body frame tilts leftward. Alternatively, the steering force steers the steered wheel to turn the leaning vehicle leftward in the case where the body frame tilts rightward, and steers the steered wheel to turn the leaning vehicle rightward in the case where the body frame tilts leftward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 11014422
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame, a right wheel and a left wheel, a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame, buffer devices, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, a buffer control mechanism configured to suppress motion of the buffer devices, and a control section. The control section determines whether to cause the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to perform roll angle control during traveling toward stop, and performs control of causing the buffer control mechanism to suppress motion of the buffer devices in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range and in at least a part of a period in which the left-right tilt angle control mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 10994796
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes an actuator, a left steerable front wheel, a right steerable front wheel, a steering mechanism and a leaning mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a first center steering shaft, a second center steering shaft disposed at the front side of the first center steering shaft, and a center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism that interlocks rotation of the first center steering shaft with rotation of the second center steering shaft. The actuator is provided between a left end and a right end of a link member of the leaning mechanism in the left-right direction. At least one part of the actuator is provided at a position that overlaps with a movable range of the center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism as viewed from the up direction or the down direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei Kanehara, Tsunero Hamada, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Nobuo Hara
  • Patent number: 10894571
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a vehicle body, a left wheel, a right wheel, a leaning mechanism, a leaning drive mechanism and a leaning brake mechanism. The leaning drive mechanism includes a drive source. The leaning drive mechanism includes a gear, rotary shafts, and a gear casing member. The leaning brake mechanism includes a brake member and a resistance applying member. The gear and the rotary shaft of the leaning drive mechanism and the brake member of the leaning brake mechanism are supported by the vehicle body in a rotatable manner by way of the gear casing member of the leaning drive mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2021
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei Kanehara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Nobuo Hara, Takeshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 10696346
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on a body frame, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach a target value based on information on at least a vehicle speed. The control section updates the target value in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider concerning a tilt of the body frame, and controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach the updated target value in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Patent number: 10625771
    Abstract: A vehicle with two front wheels includes an EPS that makes it difficult for a rider to feel a sensation of physical disorder while realizing a vertical angle suppression function. The EPS is configured to apply an assisting force to a steering effort transmission mechanism. The vehicle further includes an EPL configured to apply a turning effort to a cross member of a link mechanism to turn the cross member relative to a vehicle body frame, and a control unit configured to control the EPS and the EPL. The control unit determines an EPS command value that determines a magnitude of output torque of the EPS and an EPL command value that determines a magnitude of output torque of the EPL according to a physical quantity including at least a vehicle speed and a vertical angle, and controls a ratio of the EPL command value to the EPS command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2020
    Assignee: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Takeshi Toyota, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Publication number: 20190084639
    Abstract: A straddled vehicle includes a vehicle body frame, a steering shaft supported by the vehicle body frame, a handlebar that includes a left grip and a right grip and is connected to the steering shaft, a steering wheel, and a steering assist device that applies assist force in a same direction as that of a steering torque that has been input to the handlebar by a rider to the steering shaft. The steering assist device causes the assist force to decrease as speed of the vehicle increases in a first vehicle speed zone and causes the assist force to increase as the speed of the vehicle increases in a second vehicle speed zone that is higher than the first vehicle speed zone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi TOYOTA, Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Patent number: 10232904
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame including a headpipe, a front wheel, a steering torque transmission including a steering shaft supported by bearings, a handlebar assembly, and a front wheel connector that transmits a steering torque, and a steering torque detector. The steering torque transmission includes a torsional deformation element upstream of a portion of the steering shaft supported by the most upstream bearing in a steering torque transmission path, and which is easily twisted and deformed by a steering torque input from grips on the handlebar assembly. The steering torque detector detects at least a portion of the steering torque input into the steering torque transmission based on a torsional deformation of the torsional deformation element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Toyota, Nobuo Hara, Yukihide Fukuhara, Tatsuya Nagata
  • Publication number: 20180265157
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on a body frame, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach a target value based on information on at least a vehicle speed. The control section updates the target value in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider concerning a tilt of the body frame, and controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to cause the tilt angle of the body frame to approach the updated target value in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180265117
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame, a steered wheel and a non-steered wheel, a motor that applies a steering force to steer the steered wheel, a left-right-tilt-angle-detection-section that detects a left-right tilt angle of the body frame, and a control device that controls a motor that applies a steering force to the steered wheel. The control device causes the motor to output a steering force to steer the steered wheel in a direction that causes the leaning vehicle to turn rightward in a case where the body frame tilts rightward in accordance with the left-right tilt angle, and causes the motor to output a steering force to steer the steered wheel in a direction that causes the leaning vehicle to turn leftward in a case where the body frame tilts leftward in accordance with the left-right tilt angle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180265158
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes: a body frame; a right wheel and a left wheel; a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame; a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame in a left direction or in the right direction by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame; and a control section. The control section controls the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to change the tilt angle of the body frame in the left direction or in the right direction in accordance with an input to the leaning vehicle from a rider while the leaning vehicle is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180264906
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame, a right wheel and a left wheel, a linkage mechanism including arms rotatably supported on the body frame, buffer devices, a left-right tilt angle control mechanism configured to control a tilt angle of the body frame by adjusting a rotation of the arms with respect to the body frame, a buffer control mechanism configured to suppress motion of the buffer devices, and a control section. The control section determines whether to cause the left-right tilt angle control mechanism to perform roll angle control during traveling toward stop, and performs control of causing the buffer control mechanism to suppress motion of the buffer devices in a period in which the vehicle speed is in at least a part of a low-speed traveling range and in at least a part of a period in which the left-right tilt angle control mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180265156
    Abstract: A vehicle with two front wheels includes an EPS that makes it difficult for a rider to feel a sensation of physical disorder while realizing a vertical angle suppression function. The EPS is configured to apply an assisting force to a steering effort transmission mechanism. The vehicle further includes an EPL configured to apply a turning effort to a cross member of a link mechanism to turn the cross member relative to a vehicle body frame, and a control unit configured to control the EPS and the EPL. The control unit determines an EPS command value that determines a magnitude of output torque of the EPS and an EPL command value that determines a magnitude of output torque of the EPL according to a physical quantity including at least a vehicle speed and a vertical angle, and controls a ratio of the EPL command value to the EPS command value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: September 20, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Publication number: 20180257728
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes an actuator, a left steerable front wheel, a right steerable front wheel, a steering mechanism and a leaning mechanism. The steering mechanism includes a first center steering shaft, a second center steering shaft disposed at the front side of the first center steering shaft, and a center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism that interlocks rotation of the first center steering shaft with rotation of the second center steering shaft. The actuator is provided between a left end and a right end of a link member of the leaning mechanism in the left-right direction. At least one part of the actuator is provided at a position that overlaps with a movable range of the center steering shaft rotation interlocking mechanism as viewed from the up direction or the down direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei KANEHARA, Tsunero HAMADA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Takeshi TOYOTA, Nobuo HARA
  • Publication number: 20180257731
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a vehicle body, a left wheel, a right wheel, a leaning mechanism, a leaning drive mechanism and a leaning brake mechanism. The leaning drive mechanism includes a drive source. The leaning drive mechanism includes a gear, rotary shafts, and a gear casing member. The leaning brake mechanism includes a brake member and a resistance applying member. The gear and the rotary shaft of the leaning drive mechanism and the brake member of the leaning brake mechanism are supported by the vehicle body in a rotatable manner by way of the gear casing member of the leaning drive mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuhei KANEHARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Nobuo HARA, Takeshi TOYOTA
  • Publication number: 20180154974
    Abstract: A leaning vehicle includes a body frame including a headpipe, a front wheel, a steering torque transmission including a steering shaft supported by bearings, a handlebar assembly, and a front wheel connector that transmits a steering torque, and a steering torque detector. The steering torque transmission includes a torsional deformation element upstream of a portion of the steering shaft supported by the most upstream bearing in a steering torque transmission path, and which is easily twisted and deformed by a steering torque input from grips on the handlebar assembly. The steering torque detector detects at least a portion of the steering torque input into the steering torque transmission based on a torsional deformation of the torsional deformation element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi TOYOTA, Nobuo HARA, Yukihide FUKUHARA, Tatsuya NAGATA
  • Patent number: 7878290
    Abstract: A saddle riding type vehicle capable of making turns by leaning a vehicle body includes a pair of rear wheels provided at opposite sides of the vehicle body, a pair of support mechanisms arranged to support the pair of rear wheels to be movable, independently of each other, up and down about a pivot axis relative to the vehicle body, an engine disposed forward of the pivot axis to produce a drive force, a differential mechanism arranged to distribute the drive force of the engine to the pair of rear wheels and to absorb a rotating speed difference between the pair of rear wheels at a time of making a turn, the differential mechanism including drive shafts arranged between the engine and the pivot axis, a pair of shaft drive mechanisms provided for the pair of rear wheels, respectively, and arranged to transmit the drive force of the differential mechanism to the pair of rear wheels, and a pair of constant velocity universal joints provided for the pair of shaft drive mechanisms, respectively, each including a
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaha Hatsudoki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiichirou Tsujii, Masayuki Hirano, Takeshi Toyota, Sachiyo Hasegawa, Isao Fujii
  • Publication number: 20100147615
    Abstract: A saddle riding type vehicle capable of making turns by leaning a vehicle body includes a pair of rear wheels provided at opposite sides of the vehicle body, a pair of support mechanisms arranged to support the pair of rear wheels to be movable, independently of each other, up and down about a pivot axis relative to the vehicle body, an engine disposed forward of the pivot axis to produce a drive force, a differential mechanism arranged to distribute the drive force of the engine to the pair of rear wheels and to absorb a rotating speed difference between the pair of rear wheels at a time of making a turn, the differential mechanism including drive shafts arranged between the engine and the pivot axis, a pair of shaft drive mechanisms provided for the pair of rear wheels, respectively, and arranged to transmit the drive force of the differential mechanism to the pair of rear wheels, and a pair of constant velocity universal joints provided for the pair of shaft drive mechanisms, respectively, each including a
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Applicant: YAMAHA HATSUDOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiichirou TSUJII, Masayuki HIRANO, Takeshi TOYOTA, Sachiyo HASEGAWA, Isao FUJII