Patents by Inventor Toshiro Toyoda

Toshiro Toyoda 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: 9080652
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toroidal continuously variable transmission capable of reducing loss which occurs at a bearing and achieving range-widening at low cost with easy disc machinability. In the toroidal continuously variable transmission, a bearing ring 100 of a ball bearing 6 is formed at a small end surface 3a of an inner disc 3. Further, at least a part of the bearing ring 100 is axially overlapped with a traction surface 12 which is a boundary surface between a power roller and the inner disc 3. Further, a position adjustment member 120 is inserted between support posts 8a, 8b and a bearing ring facing to the disc 3 (the other bearing ring of the ball bearing 6 opposed to the bearing ring 100 of the small end surface 3a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiro Toyoda, Hiroki Nishii
  • Publication number: 20150018167
    Abstract: Construction of an electric automobile drive apparatus is realized in which the relationship of the traveling speed and acceleration of a vehicle can be made smooth and closer to the ideal, and the transmission efficiency can be maintained. A bypass gear-transmission mechanism 10, a toroidal continuously-variable transmission 11, a first planetary-gear mechanism 12 and a second planetary-gear mechanism 13 are arranged parallel to each other in the power transmission direction between a driving-side rotating shaft 4a that is the input shaft and a driven-side rotating shaft 5a that is the output section and that is arranged parallel to the driving-side rotating shaft 4a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2014
    Publication date: January 15, 2015
    Inventors: Toshiro TOYODA, Hiroki NISHII, EIJI INOUE
  • Patent number: 8876654
    Abstract: A toroidal continuously variable transmission of the present invention comprises: input side disks (1a, 1b) and output side disks (6) being supported concentric with each other such that the disks can rotate freely; a trunnion (9) that comprises end sections (36) on both ends on which tilt shafts (13) that are concentric with each other are provided, and a support beam section (15) that extends between both end sections (36), the trunnion (9) being capable of pivotally displacing around the tilt shafts (13); a thrust rolling bearing (17); and a power roller (8) that is supported to the inside surface of the trunnion (9) by way of the thrust rolling bearing (17) such that it rotates freely; wherein the support beam section (15) comprises an inside surface having a cylindrical convex surface (14); the thrust rolling bearing (17) comprises an outer race (18a) having an outside surface with a concave section (19a) that fits with the cylindrical convex surface (14) of the support beam section (15), and a plurality
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nishii, Toshihiko Sato, Eiji Inoue, Toshiro Toyoda, Hiroyasu Yoshioka, Yuji Shimomura, Shin Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20130102436
    Abstract: The present invention provides a toroidal continuously variable transmission capable of reducing loss which occurs at a bearing and achieving range-widening at low cost with easy disc machinability. In the toroidal continuously variable transmission, a bearing ring 100 of a ball bearing 6 is formed at a small end surface 3a of an inner disc 3. Further, at least a part of the bearing ring 100 is axially overlapped with a traction surface 12 which is a boundary surface between a power roller and the inner disc 3. Further, a position adjustment member 120 is inserted between support posts 8a, 8b and a bearing ring facing to the disc 3 (the other bearing ring of the ball bearing 6 opposed to the bearing ring 100 of the small end surface 3a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiro Toyoda, Hiroki Nishii
  • Publication number: 20130035200
    Abstract: The present invention achieves construction of a toroidal continuously variable transmission of which manufacture, management and assembly of parts can be performed easily, reduction of cost is easy and speed change operation is stabilized. This construction comprises support holes 28 having a circular cross section that are formed in part of the outer rings 16f, column shaped anchor pins 26 that, when fitted and fastened inside the support holes 28 with an interference fit, part of the anchor pin 26 protrudes from the inside surface of a concave section 23e of the outer ring 16f, and anchor grooves 27 that are formed in cylindrical convex surfaces 22e of support beam sections 9f of the trunnions 7f in the circumferential direction of the cylindrical convex surfaces 22e; wherein, the engagement sections where the parts of the anchor pins 26 engage with the anchor grooves 27 can support torque that is applied to the power rollers 6a as the input and output disks 2, 5 rotate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2012
    Publication date: February 7, 2013
    Applicant: NSK Ltd
    Inventors: Sachiko Noji, Tomohiro Inoue, Hiroki Nishii, Tomomi Yamaguchi, Toshiro Toyoda, Hirotaka Kishida
  • Patent number: 8167760
    Abstract: In this toroidal continuously variable transmission unit, a carrier 100 and a disc 2 is brought into direct friction contact with each other, and power transmission between the carrier 100 and the disc 2 is implemented by friction force. Because of this, the necessity of machining a gear or claw on the disc or carrier, which has conventionally be done, is obviated, whereby a manufacturing process can be shortened and manufacturing costs can largely be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nishii, Eiji Inoue, Norihisa Kobayashi, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Publication number: 20110130244
    Abstract: A toroidal continuously variable transmission of the present invention comprises: input side disks (1a, 1b) and output side disks (6) being supported concentric with each other such that the disks can rotate freely; a trunnion (9) that comprises end sections (36) on both ends on which tilt shafts (13) that are concentric with each other are provided, and a support beam section (15) that extends between both end sections (36), the trunnion (9) being capable of pivotally displacing around the tilt shafts (13); a thrust rolling bearing (17); and a power roller (8) that is supported to the inside surface of the trunnion (9) by way of the thrust rolling bearing (17) such that it rotates freely; wherein the support beam section (15) comprises an inside surface having a cylindrical convex surface (14); the thrust rolling bearing (17) comprises an outer race (18a) having an outside surface with a concave section (19a) that fits with the cylindrical convex surface (14) of the support beam section (15), and a plurality
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: June 2, 2011
    Applicant: NSK LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki Nishii, Toshihiko Sato, Eiji Inoue, Toshiro Toyoda, Hiroyasu Yoshioka, Yuji Shimomura, Shin Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20090318260
    Abstract: In this toroidal continuously variable transmission unit, a carrier 100 and a disc 2 is brought into direct friction contact with each other, and power transmission between the carrier 100 and the disc 2 is implemented by friction force. Because of this, the necessity of machining a gear or claw on the disc or carrier, which has conventionally be done, is obviated, whereby a manufacturing process can be shortened and manufacturing costs can largely be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Publication date: December 24, 2009
    Inventors: Hiroki Nishii, Eiji Inoue, Norihisa Kobayashi, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 7520832
    Abstract: A sleeve 28 making up a gear ratio control valve 21 is driven by not only a stepping motor 29 but also a secondary actuator 47. Pressure oil is made free to be introduced into the secondary actuator 47 through a manual oil pressure switching valve 37 which is switched over by a gearshift. Then, when the gearshift is operated from a non-running state to a running state, a gear ratio of a toroidal type continuously variable transmission is corrected by a predetermined amount by driving the sleeve 28 by the secondary actuator 47. As a result, while improving characteristic of a vehicle when starting from rest, the vehicle can be prevented from being reduced in speed unintentionally excessively even when the gearshift is operated while running.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshiro Toyoda, Eiji Inoue, Takashi Imanishi, Takumi Sinojima
  • Patent number: 7273440
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission apparatus includes a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, a planetary gear type transmission and a clutch apparatus that connects the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission and the planetary gear type transmission. The clutch apparatus includes: a low speed clutch engaged for realizing a low speed mode and disengaged for realizing a high speed, a high speed clutch engaged for realizing the high speed mode and disengaged for realizing the low speed mode and a controller. The controller controls the transmission ratio of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission so that rotational speeds of members connected via the clutch apparatus equals with each other, and then disengages the one of the low speed clutch and the high speed clutch after engaging the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2007
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Imanishi, Eiji Inoue, Takumi Sinojima, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Publication number: 20060264295
    Abstract: A sleeve 28 making up a gear ratio control valve 21 is driven by not only a stepping motor 29 but also a secondary actuator 47. Pressure oil is made free to be introduced into the secondary actuator 47 through a manual oil pressure switching valve 37 which is switched over by a gearshift. Then, when the gearshift is operated from a non-running state to a running state, a gear ratio of a toroidal type continuously variable transmission is corrected by a predetermined amount by driving the sleeve 28 by means of the secondary actuator 47. As a result, while improving characteristic of a vehicle when starting from rest, the vehicle can be prevented from being reduced in speed unintentionally excessively even when the gearshift is operated while running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Inventors: Toshiro Toyoda, Eiji Inoue, Takashi Imanishi, Takumi Sinojima
  • Publication number: 20050049109
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission apparatus includes a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission, a planetary gear type transmission and a clutch apparatus that connects the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission and the planetary gear type transmission. The clutch apparatus includes: a low speed clutch engaged for realizing a low speed mode and disengaged for realizing a high speed, a high speed clutch engaged for realizing the high speed mode and disengaged for realizing the low speed mode and a controller. The controller controls the transmission ratio of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission so that rotational speeds of members connected via the clutch apparatus equals with each other, and then disengages the one of the low speed clutch and the high speed clutch after engaging the other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2004
    Publication date: March 3, 2005
    Inventors: Takashi Imanishi, Eiji Inoue, Takumi Sinojima, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 6830533
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling transmission ratio of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit of a continuously variable transmission apparatus, the continuously variable transmission apparatus has: a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit, which changes a transmission ratio between pair of disks by shifting trunnions in the axial direction of pivot shafts by using actuators; and, a differential unit of a gear type including a combination of a plurality of gears, the control apparatus having: rotation speed control unit; transmission ratio setting unit; oil pressure measuring unit; and, transmission ratio correcting unit operating in response to a deviation of a pressure difference between a measured value by the oil pressure measuring unit and a target value of a torque passing through the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit, and adjusting the transmission ratio of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit so as to eliminate the deviation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Inoue, Takashi Imanishi, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Publication number: 20030216216
    Abstract: A control apparatus for controlling transmission ratio of a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit of a continuously variable transmission apparatus, the continuously variable transmission apparatus has: a toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit, which changes a transmission ratio between pair of disks by shifting trunnions in the axial direction of pivot shafts by using actuators; and, a differential unit of a gear type including a combination of a plurality of gears, the control apparatus having: rotation speed control unit; transmission ratio setting unit; oil pressure measuring unit; and, transmission ratio correcting unit operating in response to a deviation of a pressure difference between a measured value by the oil pressure measuring unit and a target value of a torque passing through the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit, and adjusting the transmission ratio of the toroidal-type continuously variable transmission unit so as to eliminate the deviation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 18, 2003
    Publication date: November 20, 2003
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Inoue, Takashi Imanishi, Toshiro Toyoda
  • Patent number: 4839591
    Abstract: A method for easy and accurate positioning of a magnetic sensor in a fluid-power cylinder facing a magnetic scale on the lateral surface of a piston rod, wherein the sensor is supported by a hole in the cylinder, a piece of friction-resistant, non-magnetic material attached to the sensor projects from its detection surface towards the piston rod, and the non-magnetic material is made to keep in touch with the lateral surface of the moving piston rod by a pressure-applying bias. The friction-resistant, non-magnetic material is either fitted to the magnetic detection surface, or is formed into a tubular shape and fitted to the outer circumference of the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1989
    Assignee: Kayaba Kogyo Kabushiki-Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinnya Nomura, Toshiro Toyoda, Kazuhisa Ikenoya