Patents by Inventor Toru Hashimura

Toru Hashimura 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: 11969777
    Abstract: A structure includes: a first member made of metal having a tubular shape, and having a through-insertion hole; a second member made of resin and joined to the first member; and a third member made of metal having a tubular shape, and inserted through inside the first member. The third member is tube-expanded toward the first member and joined to the first member by press-fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Taiki Yamakawa, Toru Hashimura, Yasuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 11946580
    Abstract: A joined body includes a tubular first member, and a second member including a plate-shaped wall portion in which a through-hole is formed, the first member being inserted into the through-hole. The collar member is interposed between the first member and the second member in at least a part of the hole peripheral wall of the through-hole. The first member and the second member are joined by expanding the first member at a portion corresponding to the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: KOBE STEEL, LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Toru Hashimura, Taiki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20230405658
    Abstract: An extruded material includes a peripheral wall having a closed loop-shaped cross-section and defining a hollow, and a middle rib connected to an inner peripheral surface of the peripheral wall and dividing the hollow. The extruded material is provided with a corrected portion set at a predetermined portion in a longitudinal direction and subjected to correction processing, and an uncorrected portion not subjected to the correction processing. The peripheral wall is expanded outward with respect to an original shape of the uncorrected portion in the corrected portion. While the middle rib is curved with respect to an imaginary straight line connecting connecting portions connected with the peripheral wall at both end portions of the middle rib in the uncorrected portion, the middle rib has a smaller degree of curvature than the original shape of the uncorrected portion in the corrected portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEDA, Toru HASHIMURA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20230405661
    Abstract: A bumper system includes a rear wall of a bumper beam provided with hole portions, and a bumper stay including tubular portions extending in the longitudinal direction, the tubular portions being inserted into the hole portions and joined to the hole portions by pipe expansion joining. The bumper stay includes a pulling-out obstructing portion protruding from the outer surfaces of the tubular portions in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The pulling-out obstructing portion abuts on the rear wall of the bumper beam in the direction in which the bumper stay is pulled out from the hole portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Toru HASHIMURA, Artur REKETS, Yasuhiro MAEDA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11701701
    Abstract: A method joins members for joining a first member being cylindrical and a second member being plate-shaped and having an opening. This method includes: inserting a first member into an opening of the second member; inserting an elastic body into the first member; guiding an outer diameter side of the first member with a pair of outer dies on both sides of the second member; and compressing an elastic body in the first member with a pair of inner dies. The inner dies compress the elastic body within a range in which the outer dies are positioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Toru Hashimura, Taiki Yamakawa
  • Publication number: 20230126951
    Abstract: A joining method of a structure includes preparing a first member including a first portion provided with a first hole and a second portion provided with a second hole, a second member, a die, and an elastic member, inserting the second member into the first hole, inserting the elastic member into the second member, in a state where one end of the second member in an axial direction is located between the first portion and the second portion, compressing and expanding the elastic member in the axial direction, thereby expanding and deforming the second member at a portion passing through the first hole to be swaged and joined to the first portion. The die includes a support surface for applying a compressive force from the die to the elastic member through the second hole. The support surface is perpendicular to an axial direction of the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2021
    Publication date: April 27, 2023
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEDA, Toru HASHIMURA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220347734
    Abstract: A structure includes: a first member made of metal having a tubular shape, and having a through-insertion hole; a second member made of resin and joined to the first member; and a third member made of metal having a tubular shape, and inserted through inside the first member. The third member is tube-expanded toward the first member and joined to the first member by press-fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Taiki YAMAKAWA, Toru HASHIMURA, Yasuhiro MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20220339689
    Abstract: A method joins members for joining a first member being cylindrical and a second member being plate-shaped and having an opening. This method includes: inserting a first member into an opening of the second member; inserting an elastic body into the first member; guiding an outer diameter side of the first member with a pair of outer dies on both sides of the second member; and compressing an elastic body in the first member with a pair of inner dies. The inner dies compress the elastic body within a range in which the outer dies are positioned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEDA, Toru HASHIMURA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11472359
    Abstract: A structural member for a vehicle includes bumper stays having a tubular configuration and fixed to each of front ends of a pair of front side members included in a vehicle, and a tubular bumper beam provided with holes and into which the bumper stay is inserted. Each of the bumper stays includes a first shock absorbing portion and a second shock absorbing portion provided adjacent to the first shock absorbing portion on an outer side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Taiki Yamakawa, Toru Hashimura, Yasuhiro Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220297221
    Abstract: A joining method for overlapping and joining a plate-shaped portion of a first metal member and a plate-shaped portion of a second metal member, where the first metal member and the second metal member are made of dissimilar materials, includes a first step of forming an insertion hole in each of the plate-shaped portion of the first metal member and the plate-shaped portion of the second metal member, where the insertion holes communicate with each other when the plate-shaped portions of the first metal member and the second metal member are overlapped with each other, a second step of disposing a first joining member made of a metal material on a side of the plate-shaped portion of the first metal member opposite to the second metal member, a third step of inserting a second joining member made of the same metal material as that of the first joining member into the first metal member from a side of the second metal member through the insertion holes while the plate-shaped portions of the first metal member
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Toru HASHIMURA, Ryohei IHARA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11433450
    Abstract: A joined body includes: a first member having a pipe shape; and a second member including a wall portion having a plate shape, and a flange portion having a cylinder shape provided with an insertion hole through which the first member is inserted. In a state where the first member is inserted into the insertion hole of the flange portion of the second member, the first member and the second member are joined with the first member pipe-expanded. A material of the second member is larger than a material of the first member in a spring-back amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Kenichi Watanabe, Takayuki Kimura, Toru Hashimura
  • Publication number: 20220275896
    Abstract: A joined body includes a tubular first member, and a second member including a plate-shaped wall portion in which a through-hole is formed, the first member being inserted into the through-hole. The collar member is interposed between the first member and the second member in at least a part of the hole peripheral wall of the through-hole. The first member and the second member are joined by expanding the first member at a portion corresponding to the through-hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2020
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEDA, Toru HASHIMURA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11345294
    Abstract: A vehicle structure includes a first member that extends in a vehicle width direction, second members that extend in a front-back direction that are inserted in the front-back direction with respect to the first member, and third members that are arranged at end portions of the first member in the vehicle width direction and joined to the end portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Hashimura, Taiki Yamakawa, Yasuhiro Maeda, Kenichi Watanabe, Junya Naito, Akihiko Tatsumi
  • Patent number: 11229942
    Abstract: Disclosed is a joining method of members, which includes the steps of: preparing a first member in which a first hole portion having a polygonal cross-sectional shape is formed, and a second member having a hollow shape, wherein the second member has a cross-sectional shape corresponding to the polygonal cross-sectional shape of the first hole portion, the second member including a plurality of straight line portions extending linearly and corner portions positioned between the adjacent two straight line portions in the cross-sectional shape; inserting the second member into the first hole portion of the first member; and caulking and joining the second member to the first member by enlarging and deforming the corner portions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Watanabe, Toru Hashimura, Junya Naitou, Yasuhiro Maeda
  • Patent number: 11198172
    Abstract: A method for joining members according to the present invention includes: providing a first member, a second member, a guide shaft member, a rubber member, a first plunger, a second plunger, and a drive mechanism; inserting the second member into a hole portion of the first member; inserting the guide shaft member into a through-hole of the rubber member; inserting the rubber member, into which the guide shaft member is inserted, inside the second member; arranging an assembly in which the first member, the second member, the rubber member, and the guide shaft member so as to horizontally extend; arranging the assembly so as to be sandwiched by the first plunger and the second plunger; and moving the second plunger toward the first plunger; compressing the rubber member by the first plunger and the second plunger in a direction where the guide shaft member extends, and expanding the rubber member radially outside the guide shaft member; and thus expanding and deforming at least a portion of the second member
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Toru Hashimura, Kenichi Watanabe, Takayuki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20210379643
    Abstract: A bead forming method includes the steps of preparing a bumper stay having a partition wall that partitions an internal space and extends in a longitudinal direction, an elastic body that can be inserted into the bumper stay, and a pusher that presses the elastic body; inserting the elastic body into the bumper stay and arranging the elastic body in the bumper stay so as not to come into contact with the partition wall; and forming a buckling bead by compressing the elastic body in the longitudinal direction of the bumper stay by the pusher to expand the elastic body outward in a radial direction without coming into contact with the partition wall, thereby bulging a part of an outer wall of the bumper stay outward in the radial direction without deforming the partition wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2019
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kobe Seiko Sho (Kobe Steel, Ltd.)
    Inventors: Taiki YAMAKAWA, Toru HASHIMURA, Yasuhiro MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20210356058
    Abstract: The element joint is obtained by joining: a long pipe; a short pipe made of a quality of material having a strength equal to or higher than a strength of the long pipe; and a plate material made of a quality of material having a strength equal to or higher than a strength of the short pipe. In the element joint, at least one member of the long pipe and the short pipe includes a pipe-shaped portion, and the pipe-shaped portion of the one member is pipe-expanded and joined to the other member by press-fitting. The short pipe and the plate material are welded to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: November 18, 2021
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA KOBE SEIKO SHO (KOBE STEEL, LTD.)
    Inventors: Yasuhiro MAEDA, Toru HASHIMURA, Taiki YAMAKAWA
  • Patent number: 11148719
    Abstract: In a bumper system, one end portion of a first tube is inserted into first beam holes, and the other end portion of the first tube is inserted into a first plate hole, one end portion of a second tube is inserted into second beam holes, and the other end portion of the second tube is inserted into a second plate hole. The bumper stay is joined to a bumper beam and a vehicle body plate by press-fitting in a state in which the first tube is expanded at the holes and the second tube is expanded at the holes. A first connection rib is in contact with the bumper beam, and a second connection rib is in contact with the vehicle body plate in the same direction as a direction in which the first connection rib is in contact with the bumper beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Hashimura, Taiki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11110874
    Abstract: A method for joining members according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: providing a bumper stay including two integrated pipe portions extending in an identical direction, the bumper stay including a recess provided between the pipe portions being adjacent to each other, the recess extending in a longitudinal direction of the pipe portions from end surfaces of the pipe portions, a part of the recess serving as a locking portion, and a bumper beam including a rear inclined wall formed with two hole portions into which the pipe portions of the bumper stay are insertable respectively; inserting the bumper stay into the hole portions of the bumper beam until the locking portion abuts on the rear inclined wall; and pipe-expanding an insertion portion of the bumper stay into the bumper beam to join the insertion portion to the bumper beam by press-fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Toru Hashimura, Kenichi Watanabe, Ryohei Yukishige, Taiki Yamakawa
  • Patent number: 11084083
    Abstract: In a joining method for members, a tube body having a center axis L, a wall surface body having a hole portion through which the tube body can be inserted, and an elastic body that can be inserted in the tube body are prepared. The tube body has an inner rib extending in a direction of the center axis so as to partition an inside thereof, and the inner rib has notches cut from a lower end of the inner rib in the direction of the center axis. Next, the tube body is inserted through the hole portion in the wall surface body, and the elastic body is inserted into internal spaces partitioned by the inner rib of the tube body. Furthermore, the elastic body is compressed in the direction of the center axis of the tube body and expanded outward in a radial direction with respect to the center axis, whereby an end of the tube body is expanded and deformed to be joined to the wall surface body by press-fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 10, 2021
    Assignee: Kobe Steel, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Maeda, Toru Hashimura, Ryohei Yukishige