Patents by Inventor Tetsuhiko Fukanuma

Tetsuhiko Fukanuma 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: 7210309
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor for efficiently cooling and lubricating seals arranged on a rotary shaft. The seals are arranged at end portions of the rotary shaft that project from a housing of the compressor. A first lubrication chamber is defined by a first seal in the housing around the front end portion of the rotary shaft. A second lubrication chamber is defined by a second seal in the housing around the rear end portion of the rotary shaft. A shaft passage extends through the rotary shaft to connect the first and second lubrication chambers. Refrigerant gas including lubricating oil flows from a crank chamber to a suction chamber via the first lubrication chamber, the shaft passage, and the second lubrication chamber. This efficiently cools and lubricates the seals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2007
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Yasuharu Odachi, Masao Iguchi, Yoichi Takashima, Kazuhito Miyagawa
  • Patent number: 7186096
    Abstract: A swash plate type variable displacement compressor includes a cylinder block defining a cylinder bore. A housing is fixed to the cylinder block and defines a crank chamber. A drive shaft is rotatably supported by the housing and the cylinder block. A swash plate is supported by the drive shaft in the crank chamber and is inclinable with respect to the axis of the drive shaft. A piston is accommodated in the cylinder bore so as to define a compression chamber in the cylinder bore and is coupled to the swash plate. A control mechanism includes a bleed passage for controlling the pressure in the crank chamber. The compressor is formed such that lubricating oil in the crank chamber is discharged into at least one of the suction chamber, the discharge chamber and the compression chamber while the inclination angle of the swash plate is substantially a maximum inclination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Sokichi Hibino, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Hiroaki Kayukawa, Eiji Tokunaga, Atsuyuki Morishita, Tomohiro Murakami, Yoshio Kimoto, Yoshitami Kondo
  • Publication number: 20070039459
    Abstract: A first swash plate 18 is coupled to a drive shaft 16 to be rotatable integrally with the drive shaft 16. Single head pistons 23 are coupled to the first swash plate 18 via shoes 25A, 25B. Rotation of the drive shaft 16 rotates the first swash plate 18, which causes the pistons 23 to reciprocate and compress refrigerant gas. The first swash plate 18 supports an annular second swash plate 51 to be rotatable relative to the first swash plate 18 via a ball bearing 52. The second swash plate 51 is arranged between the first swash plate 18 and the shoes 25B that receive a compressive load to be slidable with respect to the first swash plate 18 and the shoes 25B. Therefore, the first swash plate reliably slides with respect to the second swash plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2004
    Publication date: February 22, 2007
    Inventors: Hajime Kurita, Takayuki Imai, Masakazu Murase, Masaki Ota, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Takeshi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7168359
    Abstract: A swash plate compressor that prevents a slide plate from being separated from a swash plate. The compressor includes a drive shaft. A slide plate is rotatable relative to the swash plate. Two shoes is arranged on the swash plate and the slide plate. A bearing arranged between the swash plate and the slide plate and in between the shoes. A piston is connected to the swash plate and the slide plate by the shoes and is reciprocated to compress gas. The swash plate includes a swash plate support surface, and the slide plate includes a slide plate support surface, in which each surface is for contacting the bearing. The swash plate is formed so that a clearance between the swash plate support surface and the slide plate support surface increases radially inwardly of the swash plate and the slide plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Hajime Kurita, Yuji Kaneshige, Masakazu Murase, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma
  • Publication number: 20070014674
    Abstract: A variable displacement compressor for forming a refrigerant circuit with an external refrigerant circuit includes a housing, a drive shaft, a swash plate, a shaft seal member, a supply passage, a control valve and a gas passage. The housing has a suction chamber, a crank chamber, a discharge chamber and a shaft seal chamber formed therein. The discharge chamber is in communication with the crank chamber through the supply passage. The supply passage has the shaft seal chamber. The discharge chamber is in communication with the external refrigerant circuit through the gas passage. The supply passage is formed differently from the gas passage. A part of the supply passage is located adjacent to the suction chamber and nearer to the suction chamber than the discharge chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Naoya Yokomachi, Shingo Enami
  • Publication number: 20060270498
    Abstract: A power transmission device includes a pulley 1, a hub 2 and a power shut-off member 3 and further includes a cap 4, one face of which is fastened to an end portion of a rotary shaft 5 by screwing and the other face of which is fastened to the power shut-off member by screwing, so as to transmit power from the power shut-off member to the rotary shaft 5. Power is transmitted between the rotary shaft and the cap not only by this screw fastening portion but also by utilizing a seat surface B or both seat surfaces A and B, wherein the seat surface A is formed on a forward end face 5a provided on the rotary shaft and the seat surface B is formed on a screw root portion (an expanded diameter portion) 5d.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOYOTA JIDOSHOKKI
    Inventors: Takekazu Kanou, Michiyasu Nosaka, Yasuo Tabuchi, Masafumi Nakashima, Toshiaki Akamatsu, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma
  • Publication number: 20060245935
    Abstract: A swash plate compressor includes a housing that has a cylinder bore and rotatably supports a drive shaft. A swash plate is operatively coupled to the drive shaft for rotation therewith. A piston is accommodated in the cylinder bore for reciprocating movement. First and second spaced shoes are fitted to the piston on a side adjacent to the cylinder bore and on a side away from the cylinder bore, respectively, for coupling the piston to the swash plate. The rolling body is mounted on the swash plate through a bearing and in slide contact with the first shoe. A surface of the rolling body in slide contact with the first shoe or a surface of the first shoe in slide contact with the rolling body has a diamond-like carbon film. A surface of the rolling body in rolling contact with the bearing exposes a base material of the rolling body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Manabu Sugiura, Takahiro Sugioka, Takayuki Imai
  • Publication number: 20060245939
    Abstract: A compressor includes a housing, a rotary shaft, a bearing, a seal, a shaft seal chamber, a first passage, a second passage and the fluid passage. The first passage connects a crank chamber to the shaft seal chamber The second passage is formed between a lug plate fixed to the rotary shaft and the housing so as to connect the bearing to the crank chamber. The partition is provided in the shaft seal chamber for dividing the shaft seal chamber into a seal-side chamber and a bearing-side chamber. The first passage is in communication with the seal-side chamber of the shaft seal chamber. The fluid passage for accumulating the lubricating oil and for communicating the first passage and the second passage is formed radially inward of an inner circumferential surface of the shaft seal chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Naoya Yokomachi, Shingo Enami, Masakazu Murase
  • Publication number: 20060237552
    Abstract: A displacement control valve includes a reciprocation body which has a valve body. The reciprocation body includes a first shaft portion that has the valve body and a second shaft portion that is coaxial with the first shaft portion and inserted in a valve hole. The first shaft portion is located adjacent to a solenoid. The second shaft portion is connected to a pressure sensing mechanism. The second shaft portion and the valve hole define a flow path in which refrigerant freely flows. A throttle portion is formed between the first and second shaft portions and coaxial with the first and second shaft portions. Diameter of an end of the throttle portion adjacent to the second shaft portion is set larger than that of the second shaft portion adjacent to the throttle. Flow rate of the refrigerant in the flow path is suppressed by the throttle portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Satoshi Umemura, Masaki Ota, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Yuji Hashimoto, Motoaki Okuda
  • Publication number: 20060165536
    Abstract: In a swash plate type compressor, refrigerant in a discharge pressure region is introduced into a crank chamber through a supply passage while the refrigerant in the crank chamber is drawn out to a suction pressure region through a bleed passage for controlling pressure in the crank chamber, whereby inclination angle of a swash plate is changed. A heat-generating sliding portion is provided in the crank chamber. The supply passage includes a communication port that communicates with the crank chamber and a first throttle portion for throttling the refrigerant. At least parts of the supply passage and the bleed passage are formed in a drive shaft. A part of the bleed passage formed in the drive shaft is located between a part of the supply passage formed in the drive shaft and an outer peripheral surface of the drive shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Naoya Yokomachi, Masakazu Murase, Shingo Enami, Hajime Kurita, Seiji Katayama
  • Publication number: 20050287014
    Abstract: A displacement control valve for a variable displacement compressor includes a first valve hole forming a part of a supply passage and a second valve hole forming a part of a discharge passage. Displacement of a reciprocating body is transmitted to each of first and second valve bodies so that each valve body opens or closes the corresponding valve hole. When the reciprocating body is within a predetermined displacement range, a double closing state occurs, in which the first valve body closes the first valve hole and the second valve hole closes the second valve hole. When the reciprocating body is out of the displacement range, a single closing state occurs. Therefore, the control valve prevents the first valve hole from opening concurrently with the second valve hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2005
    Publication date: December 29, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Satoshi Umemura, Masahiro Kawaguchi, Masaki Ota, Tatsuya Hirose, Yuji Hashimoto, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma
  • Publication number: 20050220632
    Abstract: A compressor has a valve port plate made of a steel, through which heat of compressed gas having a relatively higher temperature is transmitted to suction gas having a relatively lower temperature. The valve port plate is nitrided or nitrocarburized for reducing heat transmission from the compressed gas to the suction gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Fuminobu Enokijima, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masaki Ota, Kyoichi Kinoshita, Katsufumi Tanaka, Motoharu Tanizawa
  • Publication number: 20050207923
    Abstract: A compressor has a valve port plate made of a steel, through which heat of compressed gas having a relatively higher temperature is transmitted to suction gas having a relatively lower temperature. The valve port plate is carburized to have a carburized layer for reducing heat transmission from the compressed gas to the suction gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Fuminobu Enokijima, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masaki Ota, Kyoichi Kinoshita, Katsufumi Tanaka, Motoharu Tanizawa
  • Publication number: 20050156386
    Abstract: A compressor including a housing, a rotary shaft extending through the housing, and a sealing device arranged about the rotary shaft to seal the housing. A shaft bore extends through the housing for insertion of the rotary shaft. An elastomer lip ring seals the housing in cooperation with the rotary shaft, while contacting the peripheral surface of the rotary shaft in a slidable manner. A pressure resistant reinforcement arranged in the shaft includes a backup ring, which is arranged between the elastomer lip ring and the rotary shaft, and a stopper, which is fixed in the shaft bore. The backup ring contacts the elastomer lip ring. The stopper restricts movement of the backup ring in the axial direction relative to the rotary shaft and enables movement of the backup ring in a radial direction relative to the rotary shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2005
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Seiji Katayama, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masakazu Murase
  • Publication number: 20050153156
    Abstract: A pressure casing includes a composited cast member. The composited cast member includes an iron-based porous substance whose major component is Fe and which has a large number of pores, and a cast-wrapping member whose major component is a light metal and which cast-wraps a part of the iron-based porous substance at least. The iron-based porous substance includes a connector disposed adjacent to a boundary between the iron-based porous substance and the cast-wrapping member and exhibiting a larger porosity, and a high-strength reinforcer disposed in the iron-based porous substance free from the connector and exhibiting a smaller porosity. The connector is impregnated with the cast-wrapping member, and solidifies therewith, thereby firmly bonding the iron-based porous substance and the cast-wrapping member in the composited cast member. The pressure casing secures strength with the reinforcer, and secures adhesiveness with the connector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2004
    Publication date: July 14, 2005
    Inventors: Manabu Miyoshi, Kyoichi Kinoshita, Motoharu Tanizawa, Genki Yoshikawa, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Manabu Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20050147503
    Abstract: A rotor is fixed to a drive shaft supported by a housing. A swash plate is supported slidably and tiltably by the drive shaft. A hinge mechanism is provided between the rotor and swash plate. The hinge mechanism comprises two rotor-side protrusions provided in the rotor and a protruding portion provided in the swash plate. The protruding portion is inserted between side faces in which the two rotor-side protrusions face each other, and perform power transfer between the rotor and swash plate by two-dimensionally abutting against a side face of one of the rotor-side protrusions. A concavity is provided in the side face of the rotor-side protrusion. Therefore, an area of the side face of the rotor-side protrusion abutting on the side face of the swash-plate-side protrusion decreases, and smooth change of discharge volume is achieved while controlling processing cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Hajime Kurita, Hiroshi Uneyama, Tetsuhiko fukanuma, Hiroaki Kayukawa
  • Publication number: 20050145105
    Abstract: A swash plate compressor that prevents a slide plate from being separated from a swash plate. The compressor includes a drive shaft. A slide plate is rotatable relative to the swash plate. Two shoes is arranged on the swash plate and the slide plate. A bearing arranged between the swash plate and the slide plate and in between the shoes. A piston is connected to the swash plate and the slide plate by the shoes and is reciprocated to compress gas. The swash plate includes a swash plate support surface, and the slide plate includes a slide plate support surface, in which each surface is for contacting the bearing. The swash plate is formed so that a clearance between the swash plate support surface and the slide plate support surface increases radially inwardly of the swash plate and the slide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2004
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Masaki Ota, Hajime Kurita, Yuji Kaneshige, Masakazu Murase, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma
  • Patent number: 6912783
    Abstract: In a manufacturing method of a valve plate for a compressor according to this invention, a punch die 43 formed with a convex and concave configuration at its tip end face 42 is set at a press machine 41, and the punch die 43 is depressed against a surface of a valve plate 9 to transfer the convex and concave configuration of the tip end face 42. Thus, peripheral portions of a suction port and a discharge port of the valve plate 9 are roughened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota Jidoshokki
    Inventors: Hirohiko Tanaka, Suguru Hirota, Atsushi Shibata, Takeshi Kondo, Mitsuru Hattori, Eiji Tokunaga, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masakazu Hashimoto, Hiromi Yoshino
  • Publication number: 20050142016
    Abstract: A heat insulating structure in a piston type compressor includes a heat insulating member. The piston type compressor includes a cylinder block and a cover housing connected to the cylinder block, a piston is accommodated in a cylinder bore defined in the cylinder block to define a compression chamber. A suction pressure region and a discharge pressure region are defined in the cover housing. The piston is reciprocated in the cylinder bore in accordance with rotation of a rotary shaft so that refrigerant gas is drawn from the suction pressure region to the compression chamber and discharged from the compression chamber to the discharge pressure region. The heat insulating member has a predetermined shape and is located in the cylinder block. The heat insulating member has an inner peripheral surface that defines the cylinder bore.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Inventors: Fuminobu Enokijima, Masaki Ota, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masakazu Murase
  • Publication number: 20050106033
    Abstract: A heat-insulating mechanism in a compressor which introduces refrigerant gas from a suction pressure region to a compression chamber and discharges the refrigerant gas from the compression chamber to a discharge pressure region has a circular passage, a communication passage, a cylindrical member and a passage heat-insulating member. The circular passage, which is a portion of the suction pressure region, has a circular cross-section, and is in communication with an external refrigerant circuit. The communication passage, which is a portion of the suction pressure region, intersects the circular passage for connection therewith, and is communicable with the compression chamber. The cylindrical member is fitted into the circular passage. The passage heat-insulating member made of an insulating material covers at least a portion of a passage wall surface which forms the communication passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Inventors: Fuminobu Enokijima, Masaki Ota, Tetsuhiko Fukanuma, Masakazu Murase, Tatsuya Koide, Masahiro Kawaguchi