Patents by Inventor Wataru Yada

Wataru Yada 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: 12157535
    Abstract: To provide a frictional drive unit that can arrange drive rollers with high density and facilitate an attachment operation of the drive rollers, a frictional drive unit 2 includes a pair of drive disks 4, a plurality of drive rollers 5 rotatably supported by an outer circumferential portion of each drive disk, a pair of actuators 8 configured to independently rotate the pair of drive disks, and an annular main wheel 7 arranged between the pair of drive disks and coming into contact with the drive rollers. Each drive roller includes a roller shaft 41 and a round roller body 42 provided on an intermediate portion of the roller shaft. Each drive disk includes plural pairs of bearing grooves 45 each receiving both ends of the roller shaft of each drive roller. Each bearing grooves open toward the main wheel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Yada, Shinichiro Kobashi, Toru Takenaka
  • Patent number: 12083935
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame to support buttocks of a user; a lift unit provided between the vehicle body frame and the seat to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; and at least one support member extending downward from the seat and provided, at a lower portion thereof, with a footrest for supporting soles of the user. The support member is provided to be displaceable vertically relative to the seat, and the support member is displaced such that a distance between the seat and the footrest when the seat is in the high position is greater than a distance between the seat and the footrest when the seat is in the low position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Yada, Daisuke Nohara, Sachiko Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 12049103
    Abstract: A rotary drive device in a mobile body includes a main wheel and a pair of drive assemblies opposing each other and each driving the main wheel. The main wheel includes driven rollers. One of the pair of drive assemblies includes a motor, a motor case, a drive force transmission, and driving rollers. The driving rollers are in the drive force transmission along a circumferential direction, and contact at least a portion of the driven rollers from one side of the rotary drive device of the axial direction. The drive force transmission rotates to transmit a drive force of the motor to the main wheel via the driving rollers. At least a portion of the motor case opposes at least a portion of the driving rollers in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2024
    Assignees: NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD
    Inventors: Taihei Tsubone, Kyohei Haizumi, Wataru Yada, Tomokazu Sakamoto, Takeshi Echizenya, Seiji Kato
  • Patent number: 11993345
    Abstract: Drive disks are configured to rotate a main wheel by applying a frictional force thereto. Each of the drive disks includes a base and a plurality of rollers. The base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member. The first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts. The second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts. Each of the rollers has a first end and a second end. Each of the first arm parts includes a first supporting part and a second supporting part. Each of the second arm parts includes a third supporting part and a fourth supporting part. The first supporting part and the second supporting part are inclined to each other. The third supporting part and the fourth supporting part are inclined to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2024
    Assignees: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., NIDEC-SHIMPO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wataru Yada, Hiroshi Gomi, Norio Deguchi
  • Publication number: 20240109366
    Abstract: A wheel assembly includes a wheel portion and a pair of drive assemblies opposing each other with the wheel portion interposed therebetween. One of the pair of drive assemblies includes a first motor and a first deceleration assembly. The other of the pair of drive assemblies includes a second motor and a second deceleration assembly. The first deceleration assembly includes a first input shaft connected to the first output shaft. The first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are parallel to the rotation axis of the wheel portion and disposed outside the wheel portion in the radial direction of the wheel portion. The first output shaft, the first input shaft, the second output shaft, and the second input shaft extend in a direction away from the wheel portion in a direction along the rotation axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2023
    Publication date: April 4, 2024
    Inventors: Taihei TSUBONE, Wataru YADA, Tomokazu SAKAMOTO, Shinichiro KOBASHI
  • Patent number: 11945545
    Abstract: Drive disks are configured to rotate a main wheel by applying a frictional force thereto. Each of the drive disks includes a base and a plurality of rollers. The base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member. The first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts. The second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts. Each of the rollers has a first end and a second end in an axial direction thereof. Each of the first arm parts and each of the second arm parts support the first end of one of two rollers adjacent to each other and the second end of the other of the two rollers adjacent to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Yada, Ritsuya Oshima, Hiroshi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20240077134
    Abstract: A driving force transmission device includes drive rollers, roller support portions, and a roller arrangement portion. The drive rollers transmit a driving force to a main wheel. The roller support portions rotatably support the drive rollers. The roller arrangement portion includes a base, an outer frame, and an inner frame. The base expands radially outward with respect to a rotation axis. The outer frame extends in a circumferential direction around the rotation axis and protrudes from the base in an axial direction along the rotation axis. The inner frame is radially inside the outer frame and protrudes from the base in the axial direction. The roller support portions are fitted between the inner circumferential surface of the outer frame and the outer circumferential surface of the inner frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2023
    Publication date: March 7, 2024
    Inventors: Taihei TSUBONE, Norio DEGUCHI, Wataru YADA, Ritsuya OSHIMA, Tsutomu YOSHINO, Tadanori HATTA
  • Patent number: 11813890
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a drive disk includes: an upper member and a lower member each including a base and protrusions. Each protrusion is defined by a plurality of surfaces including a first side surface inclined with respect to opposed surfaces of the drive disk and a second side surface parallel to the opposed surfaces. The first side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the first side surface of the protrusion of the lower member are parallel to each other and face away from each other. The second side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the second side surface of the protrusion of the lower member face away from each other. The first side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the first side surface of the protrusion of the lower member come into contact with each other to form the slot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2023
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ritsuya Oshima, Wataru Yada, Hiroshi Gomi
  • Publication number: 20230249591
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame to support buttocks of a user; a lift unit provided between the vehicle body frame and the seat to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; and at least one support member extending downward from the seat and provided, at a lower portion thereof, with a footrest for supporting soles of the user. The support member is provided to be displaceable vertically relative to the seat, and the support member is displaced such that a distance between the seat and the footrest when the seat is in the high position is greater than a distance between the seat and the footrest when the seat is in the low position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Daisuke NOHARA, Sachiko YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230249767
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame; a lift unit to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; a first leg extending downward from the seat and provided with a roller at a lower end thereof; a second leg extending downward from the seat, provided with a contact member at a lower end thereof, and displaceable in an up-down direction; and a lever connected to the second leg via a transmission mechanism. When the seat is in the low position, the contact member is displaced between a use position in which the contact member contacts the floor surface and a retracted position in which the contact member is separated from the floor surface depending on a position of the lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Daisuke NOHARA
  • Publication number: 20230249770
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame to support buttocks of a user; a lift unit provided between the vehicle body frame and the seat to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; at least one first leg extending downward from the seat and provided with a roller at a lower end thereof; and at least one second leg extending downward from the seat and provided with a contact member at a lower end thereof. When the seat is in the high position, the roller and the contact member are separated from the floor surface, and when the seat is in the low position, the roller and the contact member contact the floor surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Daisuke NOHARA, Takeshi ECHIZENYA
  • Publication number: 20230249590
    Abstract: A vehicle includes: a vehicle body frame; a drive unit provided on the vehicle body frame and movable on a floor surface; a seat disposed above the vehicle body frame to support buttocks of a user; a lift unit provided between the vehicle body frame and the seat to raise and lower the seat between a low position and a high position; and an operation device provided on at least one of a left side portion and a right side portion of the seat. The operation device includes an operation panel having an operation surface that faces upward, a lever extending upward and forward from a rear portion of the operation panel, and multiple operation members provided on the operation surface. At least one of the multiple operation members is disposed in a position overlapping with the lever as seen from above.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Daisuke NOHARA, Sachiko YAMAMOTO, Masaki GOTO, Tomokazu SAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20230166559
    Abstract: A wheel for an omnidirectional moving device includes an annular core body formed by connecting joint members in an annular shape, and free rollers rotatably supported by the core body. Each of the joint members includes a shaft portion having a first end and a second end, a first connecting portion provided at the first end, and a second connecting portion provided at the second end. Each of the free rollers is rotatably supported by the shaft portion of the corresponding joint member. The first connecting portion of each of the joint members is rotatably connected to the second connecting portion of the adjacent joint member. The first end of each of the joint members abuts on the second end of the adjacent joint member so that a rotation range of the adjacent joint members is restricted. A cushioning material is provided between the first end and the second end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kanji MATSUMOTO, Yuji USHIJIMA, Wataru YADA, Ritsuya OSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20230084945
    Abstract: (Task) To provide a wheel of an omni-wheel type which can be made at low cost, and a method for making such a wheel. (Means to Accomplish the Task) The wheel (3) comprises a core member (32) consisting of a tubular member (140) formed with a plurality of V-shaped notches (142) on one side thereof, and bent into an annular shape so as to close the notches, and a plurality of free rollers (60) each rotatably fitted on a linear section (120) of the tubular member located between a mutually adjoining pair of the V-shaped notches via a bearing (122) provided with an inner race (124) and an outer race (126), wherein a raised piece (130) is provided for each inner race on another side of the tubular member opposite from the one side as well as a protrusion (138) so as to engage an end surface of the inner race and fixedly secure the inner race to the core member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2020
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Wataru YADA
  • Patent number: 11534353
    Abstract: The vehicle is provided with a seat which is movable between a high position and a low position, and configured to be grounded when the seat is at the low position, and a support leg extending substantially downward from the seat of the vehicle. The support leg is movable between a retracted position positioned close to a vehicle body frame and a deployed position positioned remote from the vehicle body frame, the support leg being configured to be at the retracted position when the seat is at the high position, and to move from the retracted position to the deployed position when the seat moves from the high position to the low position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seiji Kato, Takeshi Echizenya, Wataru Yada
  • Patent number: 11534354
    Abstract: The vehicle is provided with a lift unit includes a fixed base (21) supported by a vehicle body frame, a movable base (22) connected to a seat base supporting a seat (4), and supported by the fixed base so as to be movable between a lowered position and a reference position higher than the lowered position relative to the fixed base, an engagement device (23) configured to selectively retain the movable base to the fixed base at the reference position, an electric lift mechanism (24) configured to move the movable base vertically relative to the seat base, and a control unit (6) controlling the engagement device and the electric lift mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Wataru Yada, Tomokazu Sakamoto, Masaki Goto, Takeshi Echizenya
  • Publication number: 20220289331
    Abstract: To provide a frictional drive unit that can arrange drive rollers with high density and facilitate an attachment operation of the drive rollers, a frictional drive unit 2 includes a pair of drive disks 4, a plurality of drive rollers 5 rotatably supported by an outer circumferential portion of each drive disk, a pair of actuators 8 configured to independently rotate the pair of drive disks, and an annular main wheel 7 arranged between the pair of drive disks and coming into contact with the drive rollers. Each drive roller includes a roller shaft 41 and a round roller body 42 provided on an intermediate portion of the roller shaft. Each drive disk includes plural pairs of bearing grooves 45 each receiving both ends of the roller shaft of each drive roller. Each bearing grooves open toward the main wheel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2020
    Publication date: September 15, 2022
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Shinichiro KOBASHI, Toru TAKENAKA
  • Publication number: 20220032683
    Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for a drive disk includes: an upper member and a lower member each including a base and protrusions. Each protrusion is defined by a plurality of surfaces including a first side surface inclined with respect to opposed surfaces of the drive disk and a second side surface parallel to the opposed surfaces. The first side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the first side surface of the protrusion of the lower member are parallel to each other and face away from each other. The second side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the second side surface of the protrusion of the lower member face away from each other. The first side surface of the protrusion of the upper member and the first side surface of the protrusion of the lower member come into contact with each other to form the slot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Ritsuya OSHIMA, Wataru YADA, Hiroshi GOMI
  • Publication number: 20210379929
    Abstract: Drive disks are configured to rotate a main wheel by applying a frictional force thereto. Each of the drive disks includes a base and a plurality of rollers. The base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member. The first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts. The second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts. Each of the rollers has a first end and a second end. Each of the first arm parts includes a first supporting part and a second supporting part. Each of the second arm parts includes a third supporting part and a fourth supporting part. The first supporting part and the second supporting part are inclined to each other. The third supporting part and the fourth supporting part are inclined to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Hiroshi GOMI, Norio DEGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20210380199
    Abstract: Drive disks are configured to rotate a main wheel by applying a frictional force thereto. Each of the drive disks includes a base and a plurality of rollers. The base includes a first sheet metal member and a second sheet metal member. The first sheet metal member includes a first central part and a plurality of first arm parts. The second sheet metal member includes a second central part and a plurality of second arm parts. Each of the rollers has a first end and a second end in an axial direction thereof. Each of the first arm parts and each of the second arm parts support the first end of one of two rollers adjacent to each other and the second end of the other of the two rollers adjacent to each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 28, 2021
    Publication date: December 9, 2021
    Inventors: Wataru YADA, Ritsuya OSHIMA, Hiroshi GOMI