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: 20150217804
    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 that each have a mirror symmetry about an imaginary plane that passes through the center axis of the shock-absorbing member 18a and that are inclined in a direction toward the imaginary plane with respect to the radial direction as going toward the outside in the radial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiichi Moriyama, Hiroshi Shibazaki, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Kojima
  • Publication number: 20140331811
    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: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata, Kiyoshi Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20140197293
    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: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata, Kiyoshi Sadakata
  • Patent number: 8733793
    Abstract: The present invention provides construction that keeps the load required for a locking capsule 50d that is supported by the steering column to come out in the forward direction from a locking hole 48b that is formed in a fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side low. Small through holes 52e are formed in a flange section 51d of the locking capsule 50d. Small notch sections 62a that are each open toward the inside of the locking hole 48b are formed in portions of the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side around the locking hole 48b that are aligned with each of the small through holes 52e. Injection molding is performed to inject synthetic resin 72 such that the synthetic resin 72 spans between these small through holes 48b and small notch sections 62a, and connects the locking capsule 50d and the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: NSK, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa
  • Patent number: 8622427
    Abstract: Provided is a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, and suppresses the absolute value and variation of the break away load without strong rubbing between the bracket 11 on the vehicle side and the bracket 33 on the column side. By forming an extending section 57 on the top plate section 55 of the bracket 33 on the column side, and a convex curved surface 58 on the top surface of the front end section of that extending section 57, a rise in contact pressure at the area of contact that occurs when the edge on the front end of the top surface of the top plate section 55 is pressed against the bottom surface of the bracket 11 on the vehicle side by a moment that is applied from the steering column 6c to the bracket 33 on the column side during a secondary collision is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Toru Segawa, Kiyoshi Sadakata
  • Patent number: 8544887
    Abstract: Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel 1 during a secondary collision, and lowering and stabilizing the break away load of the steering column 6c. A connecting bracket 30 is used that comprises an installation plate section 31 that connects and fastens to the portion on the top surface of the top plate section 23 of a bracket 12b on the column side which is exposed on the inside of a locking notch 28, a raised section 32 that rises upward from the installation plate section 31, and a restraining plate section 33 that is bent and extends outward from the edge on the top end of the raised section 32.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata
  • Patent number: 8534705
    Abstract: Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that simplifies tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, lowers and stabilizes the break away load, and when necessary, prevents the steering wheel from dropping excessively after a secondary collision. A locking cutout section 27 that extends in the forward/backward direction is formed in a bracket 11a on the vehicle side, top and bottom sliding plate sections 31a, 31b that are formed on outside and inside sliding plates 51, 52 of a sliding member 28 are located on both the top and bottom surfaces of the portions on both sides of the locking cutout section 27. A bolt that is inserted from the top through these sliding plate sections 31a, 31b and a nut 30 connect the top plate section 23 of a bracket 12b on the column side to the bracket 11a on the vehicle side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata
  • Patent number: 8528937
    Abstract: A steering column support apparatus that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, keeping material costs, processing costs and assembly costs of an energy absorbing member low, and when necessary, preventing the steering wheel from dropping down excessively during a secondary collision. A locking capsule 47 that is fastened to a bracket 3 on the column side is held inside a locking hole 45 of a bracket 11b on the vehicle side that is fastened to the vehicle body by a plurality of connecting members that shear during a secondary collision. An energy absorbing member 53 is placed between the locking capsule 47 and the bracket 11b on the vehicle side. This energy absorbing member 53 is formed by bending a plastically deformable wire, and allows forward displacement of the locking capsule while absorbing impact energy that is applied to the locking capsule by plastically deforming during a secondary collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Nobuyuki Nishimura
  • Patent number: 8523228
    Abstract: Provided is construction of a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, makes the apparatus more compact and low cost, and lowers and stabilizes the break away load. A bracket 12b on the column and a locking capsule 53 that are both made of metal plate are connected and fastened together by welding. A pair of left and right eave sections 56 are formed on both the left and right end sections of the locking capsule 53 by way of raised sections 55. The portion of the metal plate of a bracket 11 on the vehicle side on both sides of a locking hole 45 fits between the bottom surfaces of the eave sections 56 and the top surface of the bracket 12b on the column side so as to be able to break away during a secondary collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Fujiwara, Nobuyuki Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120299281
    Abstract: Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel 1 during a secondary collision, and lowering and stabilizing the break away load of the steering column 6c. A connecting bracket 30 is used that comprises an installation plate section 31 that connects and fastens to the portion on the top surface of the top plate section 23 of a bracket 12b on the column side which is exposed on the inside of a locking notch 28, a raised section 32 that rises upward from the installation plate section 31, and a restraining plate section 33 that is bent and extends outward from the edge on the top end of the raised section 32.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata
  • Patent number: 8306433
    Abstract: There is provided an optical modulation signal generating device in which an operation speed is not limited by a relaxation oscillation frequency of a laser, and high-speed modulation and long-distance transmission can be performed. The optical modulation signal generating device converts a signal from a signal source into an optical signal and outputs the optical signal to a transmission medium having frequency dispersion. The optical modulation signal generating device includes an optical source (102) for performing frequency modulation by the signal from the signal source to generate an optical signal having only a frequency modulation component, and a frequency filter (103) for converting the frequency modulation component of the optical signal into an intensity modulation component and a frequency modulation component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation
    Inventors: Takaaki Kakitsuka, Shinji Matsuo, Toru Segawa, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120267884
    Abstract: Construction of a steering column support apparatus is achieved that simplifies tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, lowers and stabilizes the break away load, and when necessary, prevents the steering wheel from dropping excessively after a secondary collision. A locking cutout section 27 that extends in the forward/backward direction is formed in a bracket 11a on the vehicle side, top and bottom sliding plate sections 31a, 31b that are formed on outside and inside sliding plates 51, 52 of a sliding member 28 are located on both the top and bottom surfaces of the portions on both sides of the locking cutout section 27. A bolt that is inserted from the top through these sliding plate sections 31a, 31b and a nut 30 connect the top plate section 23 of a bracket 12b on the column side to the bracket 11a on the vehicle side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Takeshi Fujiwara, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takahiro Minamigata
  • Publication number: 20120240711
    Abstract: The present invention provides construction that keeps the load required for a locking capsule 50d that is supported by the steering column to come out in the forward direction from a locking hole 48b that is formed in a fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side low. Small through holes 52e are formed in a flange section 51d of the locking capsule 50d. Small notch sections 62a that are each open toward the inside of the locking hole 48b are formed in portions of the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side around the locking hole 48b that are aligned with each of the small through holes 52e. Injection molding is performed to inject synthetic resin 72 such that the synthetic resin 72 spans between these small through holes 48b and small notch sections 62a, and connects the locking capsule 50d and the fastening bracket 11e on the vehicle side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2011
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Applicant: NSK, LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa
  • Publication number: 20120187669
    Abstract: Provided is a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, and suppresses the absolute value and variation of the break away load without strong rubbing between the bracket 11 on the vehicle side and the bracket 33 on the column side. By forming an extending section 57 on the top plate section 55 of the bracket 33 on the column side, and a convex curved surface 58 on the top surface of the front end section of that extending section 57, a rise in contact pressure at the area of contact that occurs when the edge on the front end of the top surface of the top plate section 55 is pressed against the bottom surface of the bracket 11 on the vehicle side by a moment that is applied from the steering column 6c to the bracket 33 on the column side during a secondary collision is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Toru Segawa, Kiyoshi Sadakata
  • Publication number: 20120169035
    Abstract: A steering column support apparatus that is capable of simplifying tuning for stabilizing forward displacement of a steering wheel during a secondary collision, keeping material costs, processing costs and assembly costs of an energy absorbing member low, and when necessary, preventing the steering wheel from dropping down excessively during a secondary collision. A locking capsule 47 that is fastened to a bracket 3 on the column side is held inside a locking hole 45 of a bracket 11b on the vehicle side that is fastened to the vehicle body by a plurality of connecting members that shear during a secondary collision. An energy absorbing member 53 is placed between the locking capsule 47 and the bracket 11b on the vehicle side. This energy absorbing member 53 is formed by bending a plastically deformable wire, and allows forward displacement of the locking capsule while absorbing impact energy that is applied to the locking capsule by plastically deforming during a secondary collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Takeshi Fujiwara, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Nobuyuki Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20120144951
    Abstract: Provided is construction of a steering column support apparatus that simplifies tuning for stabilizing the forward displacement of the steering wheel during a secondary collision, makes the apparatus more compact and low cost, and lowers and stabilizes the break away load. A bracket 12b on the column and a locking capsule 53 that are both made of metal plate are connected and fastened together by welding. A pair of left and right eave sections 56 are formed on both the left and right end sections of the locking capsule 53 by way of raised sections 55. The portion of the metal plate of a bracket 11 on the vehicle side on both sides of a locking hole 45 fits between the bottom surfaces of the eave sections 56 and the top surface of the bracket 12b on the column side so as to be able to break away during a secondary collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Minamigata, Minao Umeda, Osamu Tatewaki, Kiyoshi Sadakata, Toru Segawa, Takeshi Fujiwara, Nobuyuki Nishimura
  • Publication number: 20100202776
    Abstract: There is provided an optical modulation signal generating device in which an operation speed is not limited by a relaxation oscillation frequency of a laser, and high-speed modulation and long-distance transmission can be performed. The optical modulation signal generating device converts a signal from a signal source into an optical signal and outputs the optical signal to a transmission medium having frequency dispersion. The optical modulation signal generating device includes an optical source (102) for performing frequency modulation by the signal from the signal source to generate an optical signal having only a frequency modulation component, and a frequency filter (103) for converting the frequency modulation component of the optical signal into an intensity modulation component and a frequency modulation component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2008
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicant: NIPPON TELEGRAPH AND TELEPHONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takaaki Kakitsuka, Shinji Matsuo, Toru Segawa, Hiroyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20090255349
    Abstract: In an electric power steering apparatus equipped with a torque sensor that detects torque, the torque sensor has a coil yoke, a coil disposed within the coil yoke, a base section, and a yoke retainer which covers the coil yoke and fixes the coil yoke to the base section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Publication date: October 15, 2009
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Segawa
  • Publication number: 20090249909
    Abstract: A speed reducer is provided. The speed reducer includes a worm shaft which is elastically preloaded in a meshing direction, a worm wheel, a biasing member having a fitting portion which is fitted on an axial end portion of the worm shaft arranged inside a housing, and a holder which supports the biasing member with a spring such that the basing member is movable in the meshing direction of the worm shaft and the worm wheel. The worm shaft is supported inside the housing via a bearing which is arranged in series with the holder in an axial direction, and the holder and the bearing are biased in the axial direction by an elastic member and are positioned on a stepped portion formed on an interior of the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2007
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventor: Toru Segawa
  • Publication number: 20090050399
    Abstract: In an electric power steering device, the performances of a reduction unit and a rack unit are easily warranted independently of each other, the reduction unit and the rack unit are simply assembled, the degree of freedom for the fastened positions of the reduction unit and a rack housing are raised, and advantage of the layout are taken.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Toru Segawa, Hiroshi Eda, Takeshi Yamamoto