Patents by Inventor Yoshihide Ohara

Yoshihide Ohara 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: 9079611
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a tilt hinge shaft fixed to a vehicle body, a steering column that rotationally supports the steering shaft, and a ground clamp, which is made of an elastically deformable conductive material. The ground clamp is arranged between the tilt hinge shaft and the steering column. The ground clamp includes a second arcuate section that contacts the tilt hinge shaft, a first bent section that contacts the steering column, and a deformation section that extends between the second arcuate section and the first bent section. The deformation section is elastically deformable such that the second arcuate section and the first bent section approach each other. The ground clamp is arranged between the tilt hinge shaft and the steering column with the deformation section being elastically deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Okumura, Yoshihide Ohara, Takeshi Kawara
  • Patent number: 9016160
    Abstract: A telescopic-type steering system includes an upper tube and a lower tube that are coupled to each other such that relative displacement between the upper tube and the lower tube is allowed. The steering system includes a coupling wire that is at least partially formed of an insulating member and that has one end portion and the other end portion that are electrically insulated from each other. In the steering system, the upper tube and the lower tube are coupled to each other by the coupling wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2015
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yuichi Ichie, Yoshihide Ohara, Kazutaka Awata, Toru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8882148
    Abstract: A steering system includes a steering column which supports rotatably a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is connected and a pair of support mechanisms which support the steering column so as to tilt relative to a vehicle body. Each of the support mechanisms includes a support bracket having a column-side fastened portion and a body-side fastened portion, a fulcrum bolt, and a bush. A fastening hole through which a fastening bolt is inserted to fasten the support bracket to a fixed member is formed in the body-side fastened portion. Each of the support mechanisms includes an elastic member which can be compressed in an axial direction of the fulcrum bolt, and the support bracket is configured to oscillate relative to the steering column by the elastic member being compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohara, Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Kawakami, Toru Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8777266
    Abstract: First and second lower support mechanisms (27, 28): are each provided with a coil spring (66, 86) that is mated to the outer periphery of an axle part (59, 79) of a fulcrum bolt (53, 73); and are configured in such a manner that support brackets (51, 71) are able to rock with respect to a steering column (5) by compressing the coil springs (66, 86). The coil springs (66, 86) are formed in such a manner that the axle parts (59, 79) are force fitted in a state prior to column-side fastening parts (55, 75) being fastened to the steering column (5).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventor: Yoshihide Ohara
  • Publication number: 20140076093
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes a tilt hinge shaft fixed to a vehicle body, a steering column that rotationally supports the steering shaft, and a ground clamp, which is made of an elastically deformable conductive material. The ground clamp is arranged between the tilt hinge shaft and the steering column. The ground clamp includes a second arcuate section that contacts the tilt hinge shaft, a first bent section that contacts the steering column, and a deformation section that extends between the second arcuate section and the first bent section. The deformation section is elastically deformable such that the second arcuate section and the first bent section approach each other. The ground clamp is arranged between the tilt hinge shaft and the steering column with the deformation section being elastically deformed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Inventors: Yu OKUMURA, Yoshihide OHARA, Takeshi KAWARA
  • Publication number: 20130305871
    Abstract: A steering system includes a steering column which supports rotatably a steering shaft to which a steering wheel is connected and a pair of support mechanisms which support the steering column so as to tilt relative to a vehicle body. Each of the support mechanisms includes a support bracket having a column-side fastened portion and a body-side fastened portion, a fulcrum bolt, and a bush. A fastening hole through which a fastening bolt is inserted to fasten the support bracket to a fixed member is formed in the body-side fastened portion. Each of the support mechanisms includes an elastic member which can be compressed in an axial direction of the fulcrum bolt, and the support bracket is configured to oscillate relative to the steering column by the elastic member being compressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 21, 2013
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohara, Tatsuhiro Yamamoto, Hiroshi Kawakami, Toru Suzuzki
  • Publication number: 20130298718
    Abstract: First and second lower support mechanisms (27, 28): are each provided with a coil spring (66, 86) that is mated to the outer periphery of an axle part (59, 79) of a fulcrum bolt (53, 73); and are configured in such a manner that support brackets (51, 71) are able to rock with respect to a steering column (5) by compressing the coil springs (66, 86). The coil springs (66, 86) are formed in such a manner that the axle parts (59, 79) are force fitted in a state prior to column-side fastening parts (55, 75) being fastened to the steering column (5).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 14, 2013
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yoshihide Ohara
  • Patent number: 8272785
    Abstract: A bearing mechanism 1 includes a housing 3 having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface 2, a rack shaft 5 inserted and secured in the housing 3 and having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 4, and a sliding bearing 6 interposed between the inner peripheral surface 2 of the housing 3 and the outer peripheral surface 4 of the rack shaft 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignees: Jtekt Corporation, Oiles Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hirose, Yoshihide Ohara, Masaaki Hashimoto, Takahiro Tanaka, Hidetoshi Kaida, Eiji Oki
  • Publication number: 20110308348
    Abstract: A telescopic-type steering system includes an upper tube and a lower tube that are coupled to each other such that relative displacement between the upper tube and the lower tube is allowed. The steering system includes a coupling wire that is at least partially formed of an insulating member and that has one end portion and the other end portion that are electrically insulated from each other. In the steering system, the upper tube and the lower tube are coupled to each other by the coupling wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuichi ICHIE, Yoshihide OHARA, Kazutaka AWATA, Toru SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20100278467
    Abstract: A bearing mechanism 1 includes a housing 3 having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface 2, a rack shaft 5 inserted and secured in the housing 3 and having a cylindrical outer peripheral surface 4, and a sliding bearing 6 interposed between the inner peripheral surface 2 of the housing 3 and the outer peripheral surface 4 of the rack shaft 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 4, 2010
    Inventors: Masahiko Hirose, Yoshihide Ohara, Masaaki Hashimoto, Takahiro Tanaka, Hidetoshi Kaida, Eiji Oki
  • Patent number: 7798504
    Abstract: A bush bearing includes a synthetic resin-made bush having a circumferential groove on its outer peripheral surface; an endless annular elastic member fitted in the circumferential groove of the bush; and a positioning structure for determining the position of the bush in a B direction with respect to an inner peripheral surface of a gear housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2010
    Assignees: JTEKT Corporation, OILES Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hirose, Masaaki Hashimoto, Yoshihide Ohara, Takahiro Tanaka, Hidetoshi Kaida, Masao Shimura
  • Patent number: 7780176
    Abstract: A center take-off rack-and-pinion steering apparatus includes a cylindrical rack housing having an elongate hole extending in a longitudinal direction, a mounting bracket for mounting ends of a pair of tie rods on a rack shaft, and a slider interposed between the mounting bracket and the rack shaft and slidable in an inner periphery of the elongate hole. The inner periphery of the elongate hole and the slider include sliding contact sections that are brought into sliding contact with each other along with the slide of the slider slides. The sliding contact sections include at least a pair of curved sliding contact surfaces that are brought into sliding contact with each other in a curved shape when seen in an axial direction of the rack shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2010
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohara, Masahiko Hirose, Masaaki Hashimoto, Mutsumi Watanabe, Takahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7588258
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes an attaching bracket connecting end portions of a pair of tie rods to a rack shaft. The attaching bracket includes a base which is fixed to the rack shaft and includes at least one fixing member inserting hole through which a fixing member fixing the attaching bracket to the rack shaft is provided, and a supporting stay supporting the end portions of the pair of tie rods via ball joints respectively. The supporting stay extends from an intermediate portion of the base in an axial direction of the rack shaft. A center of the ball joint supporting the end portion of each of the tie rods is positioned offset from an axial line of the fixing member by a predetermined distance when viewed along the axial direction of the rack shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Hashimoto, Masahiko Hirose, Yoshihide Ohara, Takahiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090000853
    Abstract: A bush bearing 7 includes a synthetic resin-made bush 17 having a circumferential groove 16 on its outer peripheral surface 15; an endless annular elastic member 18 fitted in the circumferential groove 16 of the bush 17; and a positioning means 19 for determining the position of the bush 17 in a B direction with respect to an inner peripheral surface 12 of a gear housing 6.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2007
    Publication date: January 1, 2009
    Inventors: Masahiko Hirose, Masaaki Hashimoto, Yoshihide Ohara, Takahiro Tanaka, Hidetoshi Kaida, Masao Shimura
  • Publication number: 20080224434
    Abstract: A center take-off rack-and-pinion steering apparatus includes a cylindrical rack housing having an elongate hole extending in a longitudinal direction, a mounting bracket for mounting ends of a pair of tie rods on a rack shaft, and a slider interposed between the mounting bracket and the rack shaft and slidable in an inner periphery of the elongate hole. The inner periphery of the elongate hole and the slider include sliding contact sections that are brought into sliding contact with each other along with the slide of the slider slides. The sliding contact sections include at least a pair of curved sliding contact surfaces that are brought into sliding contact with each other in a curved shape when seen in an axial direction of the rack shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2008
    Publication date: September 18, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohara, Masahiko Hirose, Masaaki Hashimoto, Mutsumi Watanabe, Takahiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080163711
    Abstract: A center-takeoff rack-and-pinion steering apparatus includes a connecting unit arranged to connect respective ends of a pair of tie rods for steering a pair of vehicle wheels to an axially intermediate portion of a rack shaft. The connecting unit includes a slider slidably movable on an inner periphery of an elongate hole of a rack housing. A sliding contact surface on the inner periphery of the elongate hole and a sliding contact surface of the slider, which slide on each other, are inclined in both a widthwise direction of the elongate hole which is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the elongate hole and a depthwise direction of the elongate hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2008
    Publication date: July 10, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshihide Ohara, Masahiko Hirose, Masaaki Hashimoto, Mutsumi Watanabe, Takahiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080121457
    Abstract: A steering apparatus includes an attaching bracket connecting end portions of a pair of tie rods to a rack shaft. The attaching bracket includes a base which is fixed to the rack shaft and includes at least one fixing member inserting hole through which a fixing member fixing the attaching bracket to the rack shaft is provided, and a supporting stay supporting the end portions of the pair of tie rods via ball joints respectively. The supporting stay extends from an intermediate portion of the base in an axial direction of the rack shaft. A center of the ball joint supporting the end portion of each of the tie rods is positioned offset from an axial line of the fixing member by a predetermined distance when viewed along the axial direction of the rack shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2007
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Applicant: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Masaaki Hashimoto, Masahiko Hirose, Yoshihide Ohara, Takahiro Tanaka