Patents by Inventor Toru Segawa

Toru Segawa 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).

  • Publication number: 20190234505
    Abstract: A worm reducer includes: a housing including a wheel accommodating portion, and a worm accommodating portion; a worm wheel including wheel teeth disposed on an outer circumferential surface and rotatably supported inside the wheel accommodating portion; and a worm including worm teeth disposed on an outer circumferential surface to mesh with the wheel teeth and rotatably supported inside the worm accommodating portion, wherein a proximal end portion of the worm is connected to a drive shaft such that torque can be transmitted. An inner circumferential surface of the worm accommodating portion includes a housing side step surface which faces a proximal end side in an axial direction of the worm. An outer circumferential surface of the worm includes a worm side step surface which closely faces the housing side step surface in the axial direction at a portion axially deviated from a portion where the worm teeth are disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2017
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru ISHII, Toru SEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20190211884
    Abstract: A driving-side concave-convex portion of a driving-side transmission member is engaged with an elastic member. The driving-side concave-convex portion is engaged with an intermediate concave-convex portion of an intermediate transmission member with a circumferential gap being interposed therebetween. A driven-side concave-convex portion of a driven-side transmission member is engaged with the elastic member. The driven-side concave-convex portion is engaged with the intermediate concave-convex portion with a circumferential gap being interposed therebetween. Both axial side surfaces and a periphery of the intermediate transmission member are covered by a side surface covering portion and a periphery covering portion of the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Publication date: July 11, 2019
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru ISHII, Toru SEGAWA, Ryou OOSAWA, Nobuyuki NISHIMURA
  • Patent number: 10288126
    Abstract: A driving-side transmission portion of an output shaft of an electric motor and a driven-side transmission portion of a worm shaft are coupled to each other via a torque transmission joint including an elastic member and a coupling such that the torque can be transmitted. One axial end portion of a coupling-side concave-convex portion of the coupling is engaged with a first driving-side concave-convex portion of the driving-side transmission portion with a gap in the circumferential direction, and the other axial end portion thereof is engaged with a first driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven-side transmission portion with a gap in the circumferential direction. The elastic member is provided between an axial center portion of the coupling-side concave-convex portion, and a second driving-side concave-convex portion of the driving-side transmission portion and a second driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven-side transmission portion such that the torque can be transmitted respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Segawa, Ryou Oosawa
  • Patent number: 10183691
    Abstract: A torque transmission joint transmits torque between a drive shaft and a driven shaft. The torque transmission joint includes: a coupling including: a first concave-convex portion which is provided on one of inner and outer circumferential surfaces thereof and is engaged with a drive-side concave-convex portion of the drive shaft with a gap; and a second concave-convex portion which is provided on the other of the inner and outer circumferential surfaces and is engaged with a driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven shaft with a gap; a drive-side elastic member which is provided between the drive shaft and the coupling to be torque-transmittable; and a driven-side elastic member which is provided between the coupling and the driven shaft to be torque-transmittable. A concave-convex shape of the first concave-convex portion and a concave-convex shape of the second concave-convex portion are different from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Segawa
  • Patent number: 10183693
    Abstract: A slide member (26) is externally fitted to an outer peripheral surface of an outer ring (20) configuring a tip side bearing (9a) for supporting a tip portion of a worm shaft (6a) so as to be displaceable in an axial direction. A first inclined cylindrical face portion (32) which is an inclined surface disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the slide member (26), and a second inclined cylindrical face portion (30) which is an inclined surface disposed on an inner peripheral surface of a guide member (28) internally fitted and fixed to a holding hole (10a) of a housing (3a) are fitted to each other so as to be slidable in an inclined direction of the respective inclined cylindrical face portions (32, 30). An elastic ring (29) which biases a bearing holding member (26) against to one side in the axial direction is disposed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Segawa
  • Patent number: 10059366
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a housing, a rotating shaft for steering, a worm wheel, a worm shaft, a tip side bearing, an electric motor, and biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes a wedge piece and an elastic member for a wedge piece. The wedge piece is disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the tip side bearing and an inner circumferential surface of the housing in a state where the wedge piece in a circumferential direction is displaceable. The elastic member for a wedge piece applies elastic force toward one circumferential side to the wedge piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Segawa
  • Publication number: 20180195602
    Abstract: The present invention provides a structure which reduces an axial dimension of a front end-side portion of a worm shaft in a worm reducer including a pressing means for reducing backlash at a meshing portion. The worm reducer includes a coil spring for pressing a rocking member, which is provided to be rockable about a rocking shaft, to one side in a rocking direction about the rocking shaft. The worm reducer further includes a guide member configured such that, as the rocking member rocks to the one side in the rocking direction about the rocking shaft, the worm shaft is moved in a meshing direction which is a direction in which the worm shaft comes close to a worm wheel and is pressed by the guide member in the meshing direction through a front end-side bearing for supporting a front end of the worm shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru SEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20180172134
    Abstract: A worm reducer which can be easily reduced in size is provided. A flange portion (30) which radially protrude outward is formed on an outer circumferential surface of an axial one end portion of an outer ring (19a) configuring a rolling bearing (18c) on an axial one side at an entire circumference. A holding portion (20a) is formed on an axial one end side portion of a worm accommodation portion (15a). The flange portion (30) is sandwiched in an axial direction between an axial one side face of a housing (12a) and a retaining plate (33) fixed and supported on the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: June 21, 2018
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru SEGAWA, Seiji UENO
  • Publication number: 20180156325
    Abstract: A pair of wedge-shaped pieces are provided in an annular space that is defined between an inner circumferential surface of a holding recess portion and an outer circumferential surface of a bearing holder in two position that are symmetrical with each other with respect to a meshing portion between a worm wheel and worm teeth and an imaginary plane ? that contains a center axis of a worm in such a way as to fill the annular space. Then, an elastic force is imparted to both the wedge-shaped pieces in a direction in which the pair of wedge-shaped pieces move away from the meshing portion in relation to a circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru SEGAWA
  • Patent number: 9796418
    Abstract: A torque transmission joint has a shock-absorbing member between a drive shaft and a driven shaft. When the drive shaft is rotated in one direction, forces due to torque transmitted from the drive shaft to the driven shaft act inward in a radial direction of the shock-absorbing member on held sections that are held between one side surfaces in the circumferential direction of drive-side arm sections that are positioned in the front side in the one direction of rotation of the drive shaft, and side surfaces in the circumferential direction of driven-side arm sections that are positioned on the rear side in the one direction of rotation of the drive shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Moriyama, Hiroshi Shibazaki, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Kojima
  • Publication number: 20170284532
    Abstract: There is provided a method of assembling a worm reducer, which includes causing a worm wheel to be rotatably supported in a wheel accommodation part, externally fitting a pair of bearings at tip-side and base-side positions of a worm, inserting the worm into a worm accommodation part from an opening side thereof at a state where the worm is offset outward in a radial direction of the worm wheel with respect to a center axis of the worm accommodation part, causing the bearing which is externally fitted to a leading side in an insertion direction of the worm to pass an outer diameter-side of a part of an outer peripheral edge of the worm wheel, which protrudes most into the worm accommodation part, causing the worm teeth to mesh with the worm wheel, and further inserting the worm to a predetermined position in the worm accommodation part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2015
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru SEGAWA, Toru ISHII
  • Patent number: 9718493
    Abstract: A shock-absorbing member comprises held sections located at a plurality of locations in a circumferential direction and comprising paired held sections and non-paired held sections, and is constructed to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in cross-section. Portions where outer-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of held sections that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction. Drive-side arm sections are placed between the non-paired held sections, driven-side arm sections are placed between the paired held sections, and the outer circumferential surfaces of the drive-side arm sections are covered by the outer-diameter side cover sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Moriyama, Hiroshi Shibazaki, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Kojima
  • Publication number: 20170210412
    Abstract: An electric power steering device includes a housing, a rotating shaft for steering, a worm wheel, a worm shaft, a tip side bearing, an electric motor, and biasing mechanism. The biasing mechanism includes a wedge piece and an elastic member for a wedge piece. The wedge piece is disposed between an outer circumferential surface of the tip side bearing and an inner circumferential surface of the housing in a state where the wedge piece in a circumferential direction is displaceable. The elastic member for a wedge piece applies elastic force toward one circumferential side to the wedge piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru SEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170175821
    Abstract: A driving-side transmission portion of an output shaft of an electric motor and a driven-side transmission portion of a worm shaft are coupled to each other via a torque transmission joint including an elastic member and a coupling such that the torque can be transmitted. One axial end portion of a coupling-side concave-convex portion of the coupling is engaged with a first driving-side concave-convex portion of the driving-side transmission portion with a gap in the circumferential direction, and the other axial end portion thereof is engaged with a first driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven-side transmission portion with a gap in the circumferential direction. The elastic member is provided between an axial center portion of the coupling-side concave-convex portion, and a second driving-side concave-convex portion of the driving-side transmission portion and a second driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven-side transmission portion such that the torque can be transmitted respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toru SEGAWA, Ryou OOSAWA
  • Publication number: 20170174250
    Abstract: A torque transmission joint transmits torque between a drive shaft and a driven shaft. The torque transmission joint includes: a coupling including: a first concave-convex portion which is provided on one of inner and outer circumferential surfaces thereof and is engaged with a drive-side concave-convex portion of the drive shaft with a gap; and a second concave-convex portion which is provided on the other of the inner and outer circumferential surfaces and is engaged with a driven-side concave-convex portion of the driven shaft with a gap; a drive-side elastic member which is provided between the drive shaft and the coupling to be torque-transmittable; and a driven-side elastic member which is provided between the coupling and the driven shaft to be torque-transmittable. A concave-convex shape of the first concave-convex portion and a concave-convex shape of the second concave-convex portion are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru SEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170144695
    Abstract: A slide member (26) is externally fitted to an outer peripheral surface of an outer ring (20) configuring a tip side bearing (9a) for supporting a tip portion of a worm shaft (6a) so as to be displaceable in an axial direction. A first inclined cylindrical face portion (32) which is an inclined surface disposed on an outer peripheral surface of the slide member (26), and a second inclined cylindrical face portion (30) which is an inclined surface disposed on an inner peripheral surface of a guide member (28) internally fitted and fixed to a holding hole (10a) of a housing (3a) are fitted to each other so as to be slidable in an inclined direction of the respective inclined cylindrical face portions (32, 30). An elastic ring (29) which biases a bearing holding member (26) against to one side in the axial direction is disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2015
    Publication date: May 25, 2017
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru SEGAWA
  • Patent number: 9566997
    Abstract: Construction is achieved that makes it possible to stably and sufficiently increase support rigidity of a column-side bracket with respect to a vehicle-side bracket. The vehicle-side bracket and a locking capsule that is fastened to the column-side bracket are connected with synthetic resin locking pins so as to be able to break away during a secondary collision. Concave sections are formed on the bottom surface of the vehicle-side bracket, and together with one end being connected to small through holes in which the locking pins are located, the other end is open to the external space side. Part of the synthetic resin of the locking pins is exposed to the external space side through these concave sections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata
  • Patent number: 9550513
    Abstract: Provided is steering column support construction that together with eliminating strong rubbing between the bottom surface of a vehicle-side bracket 23a and the top surface of a column-side bracket 22a, and keeping the absolute value and fluctuation in the break away load small, more completely protects the driver during a collision accident without lowering the freedom of design of the steering apparatus. An adjustment rod 27 for adjusting the position of a steering wheel is provided on the top side of a steering column 6b. During a secondary collision, a moment that is applied to the column-side bracket 22a is kept small, friction at the area of rubbing between the column-side bracket 22a and the vehicle-side bracket 23a is reduced, and the break away load is kept low. Moreover, the driver's knees are protected by eliminating the portion that protrudes further downward than the steering column 6b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata, Kiyoshi Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20150284024
    Abstract: A shock-absorbing member 18a comprises combined held sections 33 that are located at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction and that comprise paired held sections 25a, 25b, and is constructed so as to have a non-circular cylindrical shape in the cross section by arranging portions where outer-diameter side end sections of the held sections 25a, 25b that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous by way of outer-diameter side cover sections 31, and portions where inner-diameter side end sections of the held sections 25a, 25b that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction are made continuous directly or by way of inner-diameter side cover sections 32, in an alternating sequence in the circumferential direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Seiichi Moriyama, Hiroshi Shibazaki, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Kojima
  • Patent number: 9114828
    Abstract: When adjusting the forward-backward position of a steering wheel, together with reducing any uncomfortable feeling experienced by the driver, a support bracket is prevented from breaking away toward the front due to an extremely large force applied during the adjustment operation. Elastic sleeves 35 are mounted inside the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction, and an adjustment rod 19a is inserted through the inside of the elastic sleeves 35. Gaps 36 located between the outer circumferential surface of both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the elastic sleeves 35 and the inner circumferential surface of the both end portions in the forward-backward direction of the long holes 25a in the forward-backward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2015
    Assignee: NSK. Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata, Kiyoshi Sadakata