Patents by Inventor Tatsuro KUBOTA

Tatsuro KUBOTA 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: 10259486
    Abstract: An operating lever is fitted to an operating shaft and pivots with the operating shaft. A first cam brought to pivot by the operating lever and a second cam cam-engaged with the first cam to push a column jacket are supported by the operating shaft. The first cam includes a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion that are disposed on opposite sides of a central axial line in a manner as to face each other in a radial direction. The operating lever has a first hole into which the first projecting portion is fitted and a second hole into which the second projecting portion is fitted. The second hole has a larger dimension than the second projecting portion in the radial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomonori Sugiura, Shoji Ishimura, Tatsuro Kubota, Yuji Takahashi, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10053135
    Abstract: A support shaft includes a first supported portion and a second supported portion supported by respective support holes of a pair of fastened portions. The support shaft includes a large-diameter portion including the first supported portion, a small-diameter portion including the second supported portion and having a diameter smaller than the large-diameter portion, and a stepped portion formed between the large-diameter portion and the small-diameter portion. The small-diameter portion includes a tapered portion provided in the small-diameter portion so as to be adjacent to the stepped portion and having a diameter gradually decreasing toward the stepped portion, a first to-be-broken portion placed in a smallest-diameter portion of the tapered portion so as to be broken at a time of a secondary collision, and a second to-be-broken portion placed adjacent to the second supported portion so as to be broken at the time of the secondary collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakuda, Tomonori Sugiura, Tatsuro Kubota, Shoji Ishimura, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 10053134
    Abstract: A steering system includes a column jacket including a lower jacket and an upper jacket; an engagement member; a retaining member; and a buffer member that is retained by the retaining member and contacts the engagement member in a contact direction at a time when the upper jacket is displaced to one sliding end. The retaining member includes a support surface that supports the buffer member; paired holding portions that are respectively disposed on both sides of the buffer member in a circumferential direction of the upper jacket and hold the buffer member toward the support surface; and a restriction portion configured to be engaged with an end of the buffer member on a side toward which an opposite direction is directed, so as to restrict movement of the buffer member in the opposite direction, the opposite direction being opposite to the contact direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi Sakuda, Tomonori Sugiura, Yuji Takahashi, Tatsuro Kubota, Shoji Ishimura, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9944310
    Abstract: A column jacket includes an outer jacket and an inner jacket that are slidable relative to each other in the axial direction for telescopic adjustment. The inner jacket has an outer peripheral surface fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the outer jacket. A base end of an engaging member is fixed to the inner jacket. The inner peripheral surface of the outer jacket includes a guide groove, and a stopper provided at an end of the guide groove. The stopper restricts disconnection of the inner jacket from the outer jacket when being engaged with the engaging member. The engaging member is engaged with the guide groove, and the guide groove guides axial movement of the inner jacket via the engaging member. The guide groove has a bottom portion that faces a distal end of the engaging member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuro Kubota, Yuji Takahashi, Tomonori Sugiura, Shoji Ishimura, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9944311
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering shaft; a column jacket including an outer jacket including a slit and a pair of fastened portions, and an inner jacket; a fastening mechanism; an engaged tooth formation member including at least one engaged tooth and fixed to the inner jacket; a support shaft including end portions supported by support holes of the fastened portions; a tubular reinforcing member fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the support shaft at a prescribed area between the pair of end portions; and an engaging tooth formation member including an engaging tooth that engages with the engaged tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuro Kubota, Tomonori Sugiura, Yuji Takahashi, Shoji Ishimura, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20180015942
    Abstract: An operating lever is fitted to an operating shaft and pivots with the operating shaft. A first cam brought to pivot by the operating lever and a second cam cam-engaged with the first cam to push a column jacket are supported by the operating shaft. The first cam includes a first projecting portion and a second projecting portion that are disposed on opposite sides of a central axial line in a manner as to face each other in a radial direction. The operating lever has a first hole into which the first projecting portion is fitted and a second hole into which the second projecting portion is fitted. The second hole has a larger dimension than the second projecting portion in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomonori SUGIURA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Tatsuro KUBOTA, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20170291632
    Abstract: A support shaft includes a first supported portion and a second supported portion supported by respective support holes of a pair of fastened portions. The support shaft includes a large-diameter portion including the first supported portion, a small-diameter portion including the second supported portion and having a diameter smaller than the large-diameter portion, and a stepped portion formed between the large-diameter portion and the small-diameter portion. The small-diameter portion includes a tapered portion provided in the small-diameter portion so as to be adjacent to the stepped portion and having a diameter gradually decreasing toward the stepped portion, a first to-be-broken portion placed in a smallest-diameter portion of the tapered portion so as to be broken at a time of a secondary collision, and a second to-be-broken portion placed adjacent to the second supported portion so as to be broken at the time of the secondary collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2017
    Publication date: October 12, 2017
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi SAKUDA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Tatsuro KUBOTA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20170232994
    Abstract: A steering system includes a column jacket including a lower jacket and an upper jacket; an engagement member; a retaining member; and a buffer member that is retained by the retaining member and contacts the engagement member in a contact direction at a time when the upper jacket is displaced to one sliding end. The retaining member includes a support surface that supports the buffer member; paired holding portions that are respectively disposed on both sides of the buffer member in a circumferential direction of the upper jacket and hold the buffer member toward the support surface; and a restriction portion configured to be engaged with an end of the butler member on a side toward which an opposite direction is directed, so as to restrict movement of the buffer member in the opposite direction, the opposite direction being opposite to the contact direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2017
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayoshi SAKUDA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Tatsuro KUBOTA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Patent number: 9663134
    Abstract: A steering system includes an upper jacket that is movable in an axial direction, a first stopper member fixed to the upper jacket, and a second stopper member on a vehicle body. When a lock and unlock mechanism unlocks the upper jacket, the second stopper member moves to an advanced position where the second stopper member faces the first stopper member in the axial direction. When the lock and unlock mechanism locks the upper jacket, the second stopper member moves to a retracted position where the second stopper member retracts from the advanced position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu Imagaki, Ryota Okano, Masayoshi Sakuda, Yuji Takahashi, Tomonori Sugiura, Shoji Ishimura, Tatsuro Kubota
  • Patent number: 9533700
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering shaft; a column jacket including an outer jacket including a slit and a pair of fastened portions, and an inner jacket; a bracket; a fastening mechanism; an engaged tooth formation member including at least one engaged tooth and fixed to the inner jacket; a support shaft including end portions supported by support holes of the fastened portions; an engaging tooth formation member including an engaging tooth that engages with the engaged tooth; and a biasing member configured to bias the support shaft in a biasing direction. One of the fastened portions or a member supported by the one fastened portion includes a positioning portion configured to position the support shaft in the biasing direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Takahashi, Tomonori Sugiura, Shoji Ishimura, Tatsuro Kubota, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Patent number: 9522692
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes an upper bracket that supports a column jacket. The upper bracket includes a first member including a first top plate and fixed to the vehicle body, and a second member fixed to the first member and supporting the column jacket. The second member includes: a second top plate fixed to the first top plate, a pair of side plates extending downward from the second top plate and placed on both side of the column jacket; and a pair of restricted portions extended laterally from the pair of side plates, respectively. The first member includes a pair of restricting portions extending downward from the first top plate, the pair of restricting portions each including a second fixed portion fixed to its corresponding restricted portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Takahashi, Tomonori Sugiura, Shoji Ishimura, Tatsuro Kubota, Shigeru Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20160264169
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering shaft; a column jacket including an outer jacket including a slit and a pair of fastened portions, and an inner jacket; a fastening mechanism; an engaged tooth formation member including at least one engaged tooth and fixed to the inner jacket; a support shaft including end portions supported by support holes of the fastened portions; a tubular reinforcing member fitted to an outer peripheral surface of the support shaft at a prescribed area between the pair of end portions; and an engaging tooth formation member including an engaging tooth that engages with the engaged tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuro KUBOTA, Tomonori SUGIURA, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Shoji ISHIMURA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20160264168
    Abstract: A column jacket includes an outer jacket and an inner jacket that are slidable relative to each other in the axial direction for telescopic adjustment. The inner jacket has an outer peripheral surface fitted to an inner peripheral surface of the outer jacket. A base end of an engaging member is fixed to the inner jacket. The inner peripheral surface of the outer jacket includes a guide groove, and a stopper provided at an end of the guide groove. The stopper restricts disconnection of the inner jacket from the outer jacket when being engaged with the engaging member. The engaging member is engaged with the guide groove, and the guide groove guides axial movement of the inner jacket via the engaging member. The guide groove has a bottom portion that faces a distal end of the engaging member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuro KUBOTA, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Tomonori SUGIURA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20160264170
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a steering shaft; a column jacket including an outer jacket including a slit and a pair of fastened portions, and an inner jacket; a bracket; a fastening mechanism; an engaged tooth formation member including at least one engaged tooth and fixed to the inner jacket; a support shaft including end portions supported by support holes of the fastened portions; an engaging tooth formation member including an engaging tooth that engages with the engaged tooth; and a biasing member configured to bias the support shaft in a biasing direction. One of the fastened portions or a member supported by the one fastened portion includes a positioning portion configured to position the support shaft in the biasing direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji TAKAHASHI, Tomonori SUGIURA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Tatsuro KUBOTA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Publication number: 20160264167
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes an upper bracket that supports a column jacket. The upper bracket includes a first member including a first top plate and fixed to the vehicle body, and a second member fixed to the first member and supporting the column jacket. The second member includes: a second top plate fixed to the first top plate, a pair of side plates extending downward from the second top plate and placed on both side of the column jacket; and a pair of restricted portions extended laterally from the pair of side plates, respectively. The first member includes a pair of restricting portions extending downward from the first top plate, the pair of restricting portions each including a second fixed portion fixed to its corresponding restricted portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji TAKAHASHI, Tomonori SUGIURA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Tatsuro KUBOTA, Shigeru HOSHINO
  • Patent number: 9415793
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a first member which rotates together with an operation lever which is operated to rotate and a third member which is supported rotatably via a friction reducing mechanism by a second member which is restricted from rotating. A cam mechanism which brings a fixed side plate into press contact with a column side plate includes an axially facing surface which is provided on the first member and on which a cam surface is formed, an axially facing surface which is provided on the third member, rolling elements which are interposed between both the axially facing surfaces, and a retainer which holds the rolling elements and which is restricted from rotating by the second member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2016
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tatsuro Kubota, Yoshihito Yoshihara, Eiji Tanaka, Tomonori Sugiura, Ryota Okano, Masayuki Nagaoka
  • Patent number: 9376136
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a steering shaft a column jacket that are telescopically adjustable in an axial direction; a lock plate provided with a plurality of holes and a plurality of partition portions arranged in the axial direction; and a tooth that advances to and retreats from the lock plate, and that is engaged with one of the holes of the lock plate. The steering shaft includes a first end to which a steering member is mounted and a second end. The partition portions are provided such that a height of a first end-side partition portion in a direction toward the tooth retreated from the lock plate is greater than that of a second end-side partition portion positioned on a second end side of the first end-side partition portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, FUJI KIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yoshihara, Tomonori Sugiura, Yuji Takahashi, Atsumune Nagatani, Tatsuro Kubota, Shigeru Hoshino, Yota Uesaka
  • Patent number: 9376137
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a steering shaft and a column jacket that are telescopically adjustable in an axial direction; a lock plate provided with a plurality of holes; a lock mechanism that moves a tooth such that the tooth advances to the lock plate to be engaged with one of the holes, and retreats from the lock plate to be disengaged from the hole. The lock plate includes a bent portion as a stopper at an end portion of the lock plate in the axial direction, and the stopper restricts a movement of an upper jacket relative to a lower jacket in the axial direction by abutting on the lock mechanism in the axial direction when the steering shaft and the column jacket is telescopically adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Fuji Kiko Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yoshihara, Tomonori Sugiura, Yuji Takahashi, Atsumune Nagatani, Tatsuro Kubota, Shigeru Hoshino, Yota Uesaka
  • Publication number: 20160167691
    Abstract: A steering system includes an upper jacket that is movable in an axial direction, a first stopper member fixed to the upper jacket, and a second stopper member on a vehicle body. When a lock and unlock mechanism unlocks the upper jacket, the second stopper member moves to an advanced position where the second stopper member faces the first stopper member in the axial direction. When the lock and unlock mechanism locks the upper jacket, the second stopper member moves to a retracted position where the second stopper member retracts from the advanced position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2015
    Publication date: June 16, 2016
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Susumu IMAGAKI, Ryota OKANO, Masayoshi SAKUDA, Yuji TAKAHASHI, Tomonori SUGIURA, Shoji ISHIMURA, Tatsuro KUBOTA
  • Patent number: 9327755
    Abstract: A steering device includes: a steering shaft and a column jacket that are telescopically adjustable in an axial direction; a lock member that advances to an advance position at which the lock member is engaged with one of holes of a lock plate and that retreats to a retreat position at which the lock member is disengaged from the hole of the lock plate; an operation member that is mechanically separated from the lock member; a biasing member that constantly biases the lock member toward the advance position; and a transmission member that moves the lock member to the retreat position against a biasing force of the biasing member in accordance with operation of the operation member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, FUJI KIKO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshihito Yoshihara, Tomonori Sugiura, Yuji Takahashi, Atsumune Nagatani, Tatsuro Kubota, Shigeru Hoshino, Yota Uesaka