Patents by Inventor Tokuji Yokoyama

Tokuji Yokoyama 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: 6866441
    Abstract: In a ball joint including a retaining ring to which a boot is mounted and which is press-fitted to a ball stud, the ball stud is formed with a press-fit portion to which a cylindrical portion of the retaining ring is press-fitted, and an annular projection having a tapered forming face rising with an up-grade from a press-fit terminal end of the press-fit portion. When the cylindrical portion is press-fitted to the press-fit portion, a particular cylindrical portion set at a tip end of the cylindrical portion is expanded by pressing the particular cylindrical portion against the tapered forming face, thereby forming a small flange. Thus, the small flange of the retaining ring can be simultaneously formed utilizing a force of press-fitting of the cylindrical portion of the retaining ring to the ball stud. This can contribute to a reduction in the number of assembling steps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2005
    Assignee: Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tokuji Yokoyama
  • Patent number: 6814521
    Abstract: A ball joint includes a retaining ring fitted to a shank of a ball stud, and a boot having first and second annular beads fitted to the retaining ring and a ball socket. The first mounting bead is formed with an end face seal portion and an inner periphery seal portion, which are adapted to come into close contact with a cylindrical portion and a large flange of the retaining ring, respectively. In such a ball joint, a clearance is provided between the first mounting bead and the small flange for permitting the movement of the first mounting bead toward the small flange. Thus, even when the ball stud and the ball socket are swung relative to each other in a state in which the boot has been hardened due to the freezing of snow deposited to the boot and the like, the generation of an excessive stress in the mounting bead of the boot can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2004
    Assignee: Musashi Seimitsu Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Akemitsu Suzuki, Tokuji Yokoyama, Yasuhiro Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20030156894
    Abstract: A ball joint includes a retaining ring press-fitted to a shank of a ball stud, and a boot having first and second annular beads mounted to the retaining ring and a ball socket, respectively. In the ball joint, a very small clearance left between press-fit portions of the shank and the retaining ring is filled with a sealing agent. Thus, a portion where the retaining ring is mounted to the shank of the ball stud can be simply brought into a highly reliable sealed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: MUSASHI SEIMITSU INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akemitsu Suzuki, Tokuji Yokoyama, Yasuhiro Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20030156896
    Abstract: A ball joint includes a retaining ring fitted to a shank of a ball stud, and a boot having first and second annular beads fitted to the retaining ring and a ball socket. The first mounting bead is formed with an end face seal portion and an inner periphery seal portion, which are adapted to come into close contact with a cylindrical portion and a large flange of the retaining ring, respectively. In such a ball joint, a clearance is provided between the first mounting bead and the small flange for permitting the movement of the first mounting bead toward the small flange. Thus, even when the ball stud and the ball socket are swung relative to each other in a state in which the boot has been hardened due to the freezing of snow deposited to the boot and the like, the generation of an excessive stress in the mounting bead of the boot can be avoided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: MUSASHI SEIMITSU INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akemitsu Suzuki, Tokuji Yokoyama, Yasuhiro Kondoh
  • Publication number: 20030156895
    Abstract: In a ball joint including a retaining ring to which a boot is mounted and which is press-fitted to a ball stud, the ball stud is formed with a press-fit portion to which a cylindrical portion of the retaining ring is press-fitted, and an annular projection having a tapered forming face rising with an upgrade from a press-fit terminal end of the press-fit portion. When the cylindrical portion is press-fitted to the press-fit portion, a particular cylindrical portion set at a tip end of the cylindrical portion is expanded by pressing the particular cylindrical portion against the tapered forming face, thereby forming a small flange. Thus, the small flange of the retaining ring can be simultaneously formed utilizing a force of press-fitting of the cylindrical portion of the retaining ring to the ball stud. This can contribute to a reduction in the number of assembling steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2002
    Publication date: August 21, 2003
    Applicant: MUSASHI SEIMITSU INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Tokuji Yokoyama