Patents by Inventor Yuzo Ohkawa
Yuzo Ohkawa 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).
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Publication number: 20220227227Abstract: A transfer device of a vehicle is provided, in which an auxiliary-drive-wheel output shaft extending in parallel with a main-drive-wheel output shaft is connected to a propeller shaft having a universal joint. An end part of the auxiliary-drive-wheel output shaft on a propeller shaft side is formed in a hollow shape and includes a fitting part configured to be spline-engaged with a joint part provided to the universal joint. The joint part is provided with a centering part which is inserted into a centering hole formed in a flange part provided to one side of the auxiliary-drive-wheel output shaft so that the joint part is centered on the auxiliary-drive-wheel output shaft. The flange part is sandwiched between a spacer and the joint part, and a bolt member is attached to a bolt hole formed in the centering part so that the propeller shaft is assembled to the auxiliary-drive-wheel output shaft.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2021Publication date: July 21, 2022Inventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Kazunori Sawamura, Takayuki Kato
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Patent number: 11174938Abstract: A transfer structure for a vehicle which retains a stable amount of lubricant in a coupling chamber and maintains a cooling effect for a coupling by agitation of the lubricant irrespective of an inclination of a vehicle in a front-rear direction. The transfer structure includes a gear chamber housing first and second gears meshing with each other; a coupling chamber housing a coupling provided coaxially with the first gear; an introduction path which introduces a lubricant in the gear chamber into the coupling chamber; and a return path through which the lubricant in the coupling chamber is returned to the gear chamber. The return path is inclined downward toward the gear chamber from an opening that opens in a lower part of an intermediate part of the coupling chamber in a vehicle front-rear direction to an oil discharge hole that opens in the gear chamber.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Yuzo Ohkawa
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Patent number: 10843560Abstract: A transfer device is provided, which includes an input shaft configured to receive a driving force generated by a drive source, an output shaft configured to output a portion of the driving force to part-time drive wheels of a vehicle, a transfer case accommodating the input and output shafts, at least two output bearings rotatably supporting the output shaft, and a constant-velocity (CV) joint connected to the output shaft and provided on a first side of the part-time drive wheels with respect to the output shaft. The output shaft is formed with a recessed opening portion opening toward the first side and receiving at least a part of the CV joint therein. The transfer case has an annular intruding part extending from the first side of the output shaft into the recessed opening portion. A first output bearing is located inside the recessed opening portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventor: Yuzo Ohkawa
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Publication number: 20200158228Abstract: A transfer structure for a vehicle which retains a stable amount of lubricant in a coupling chamber and maintains a cooling effect for a coupling by agitation of the lubricant irrespective of an inclination of a vehicle in a front-rear direction. The transfer structure includes a gear chamber housing first and second gears meshing with each other; a coupling chamber housing a coupling provided coaxially with the first gear; an introduction path which introduces a lubricant in the gear chamber into the coupling chamber; and a return path through which the lubricant in the coupling chamber is returned to the gear chamber. The return path is inclined downward toward the gear chamber from an opening that opens in a lower part of an intermediate part of the coupling chamber in a vehicle front-rear direction to an oil discharge hole that opens in the gear chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventor: Yuzo OHKAWA
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Patent number: 10513176Abstract: A vehicle transfer structure includes a main-drive-wheel output shaft that receives torque from a drive source and outputs it to main drive wheels, a part-time-drive-wheel output shaft provided parallel to the main-drive-wheel output shaft, a coupling provided on the main-drive-wheel output shaft and which partially extracts the torque to the part-time-drive-wheel output shaft via a transmission mechanism, and a damper disposed on the main-drive-wheel output shaft. The coupling is provided with an input-side coupling part coupled to an inner circumferential part of the damper. The input-side coupling part is coupled, via a spline-fitted section, to an output-side coupling part of a drive force transmission member which is coupled to an outer circumferential part of the damper and transmits a drive force to a driving-side transmission member of the transmission mechanism. The spline-fitted section allows a relative rotation between the input- and output-side coupling parts within a given angle.Type: GrantFiled: January 10, 2018Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Eiji Mito
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Patent number: 10220702Abstract: A power transfer unit for transferring power from a front wheel side to a rear wheel side comprises: a hollow transfer input shaft which is coupled to an engine and through which a right-side front-wheel axle is penetrated; a transfer output shaft disposed to extend in a direction orthogonal to the transfer input shaft; a transfer drive gear provided on an outer periphery of the transfer input shaft; and a transfer driven gear provided on an outer periphery of the transfer output shaft and meshed with the transfer drive gear. It further comprises a damper mechanism configured to absorb a fluctuation in torque input from an engine side into the transfer input shaft. The damper mechanism is disposed such that an intermediate portion and a left end-side portion thereof overlap the transfer driven gear in an extension direction of the transfer output shaft, in top plan view.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2015Date of Patent: March 5, 2019Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Eiji Mito, Seiji Hidaka
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Publication number: 20190032769Abstract: A transfer device includes a drive gear, a driven gear arranged at a lower position than the drive gear, and a housing space storing gears, wherein a lubricating oil is reserved in a lower part of the housing space, wherein first and second lubricating oil reservoir spaces reserving the lubricating oil respectively adjacent to the housing space are partitioned from the housing space by first and second partition walls, wherein communication holes communicating in a state of restricting the flow to the housing space are respectively provided on the first and the second partition walls, wherein the first partition wall is provided at a lower position than a predetermined oil level and the second partition wall is provided at a higher position than the predetermined oil level.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 29, 2018Publication date: January 31, 2019Inventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Yoshihito Noguchi, Wataru Harazawa
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Patent number: 10093180Abstract: A transfer device of a vehicle is provided, which includes an input shaft for receiving an output torque of a drive source at an axial first side, a main-wheel output part provided on a second side and for outputting the output torque to main drive wheels, an auxiliary-wheel output shaft provided in parallel to the input shaft and for outputting the output torque to auxiliary drive wheels, a coupling provided on the input shaft and for extracting a part of the output torque, a drive member having a hollow section and provided on the input shaft, a driven member provided on the auxiliary-wheel output shaft and meshed with the drive member, a universal joint provided on the auxiliary-wheel output shaft, and a damper device provided on the input shaft or the auxiliary-wheel output shaft and for reducing noise that occurs due to a variation of the output torque.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Hideki Murata, Eiji Mito
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Publication number: 20180257487Abstract: A vehicle transfer structure includes a main-drive-wheel output shaft that receives torque from a drive source and outputs it to main drive wheels, a part-time-drive-wheel output shaft provided parallel to the main-drive-wheel output shaft, a coupling provided on the main-drive-wheel output shaft and which partially extracts the torque to the part-time-drive-wheel output shaft via a transmission mechanism, and a damper disposed on the main-drive-wheel output shaft. The coupling is provided with an input-side coupling part coupled to an inner circumferential part of the damper. The input-side coupling part is coupled, via a spline-fitted section, to an output-side coupling part of a drive force transmission member which is coupled to an outer circumferential part of the damper and transmits a drive force to a driving-side transmission member of the transmission mechanism. The spline-fitted section allows a relative rotation between the input- and output-side coupling parts within a given angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 10, 2018Publication date: September 13, 2018Inventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Eiji Mito
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Publication number: 20180215257Abstract: A transfer device is provided, which includes an input shaft configured to receive a driving force generated by a drive source, an output shaft configured to output a portion of the driving force to part-time drive wheels of a vehicle, a transfer case accommodating the input and output shafts, at least two output bearings rotatably supporting the output shaft, and a constant-velocity (CV) joint connected to the output shaft and provided on a first side of the part-time drive wheels with respect to the output shaft. The output shaft is formed with a recessed opening portion opening toward the first side and receiving at least a part of the CV joint therein. The transfer case has an annular intruding part extending from the first side of the output shaft into the recessed opening portion. A first output bearing is located inside the recessed opening portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 9, 2018Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventor: Yuzo Ohkawa
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Publication number: 20170028845Abstract: A transfer device of a vehicle is provided, which includes an input shaft for receiving an output torque of a drive source at an axial first side, a main-wheel output part provided on a second side and for outputting the output torque to main drive wheels, an auxiliary-wheel output shaft provided in parallel to the input shaft and for outputting the output torque to auxiliary drive wheels, a coupling provided on the input shaft and for extracting a part of the output torque, a drive member having a hollow section and provided on the input shaft, a driven member provided on the auxiliary-wheel output shaft and meshed with the drive member, a universal joint provided on the auxiliary-wheel output shaft, and a damper device provided on the input shaft or the auxiliary-wheel output shaft and for reducing noise that occurs due to a variation of the output torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 29, 2016Publication date: February 2, 2017Inventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Hideki Murata, Eiji Mito
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Publication number: 20170008395Abstract: A power transfer unit for transferring power from a front wheel side to a rear wheel side comprises: a hollow transfer input shaft which is coupled to an engine and through which a right-side front-wheel axle is penetrated; a transfer output shaft disposed to extend in a direction orthogonal to the transfer input shaft; a transfer drive gear provided on an outer periphery of the transfer input shaft; and a transfer driven gear provided on an outer periphery of the transfer output shaft and meshed with the transfer drive gear. It further comprises a damper mechanism configured to absorb a fluctuation in torque input from an engine side into the transfer input shaft. The damper mechanism is disposed such that an intermediate portion and a left end-side portion thereof overlap the transfer driven gear in an extension direction of the transfer output shaft, in top plan view.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2015Publication date: January 12, 2017Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Yuzo OHKAWA, Eiji MITO, Seiji HIDAKA
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Publication number: 20110219897Abstract: There is provided, in one aspect of the present description, a power transmission apparatus. In one example, the power transmission apparatus comprises, a first driving shaft extending in a first direction, a second driving shaft extending in a second direction, a bevel driving gear arranged on the first driving shaft, and a bevel driven gear arranged on the second driving shaft and meshed with the bevel driving gear. The power transmission apparatus further comprises a fitting shaft formed on the first driving shaft, a fitting hole formed in the bevel driving gear, a contacting surface contacting the first driving shaft so as to restrict movement of the bevel driving gear in a first axial direction, and a snap ring installed so as to restrict movement of the bevel driving gear in a second axial direction that is opposite to the first axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 2, 2010Publication date: September 15, 2011Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Hidenori Nishiura
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Patent number: 5526909Abstract: An automatic transmission parking mechanism, having an anchor arm with a pawl which is engaged and disengaged with a transmission shaft by an actuator so as to disable the shaft to rotate and enable rotation of the shaft, includes a restraint member for restraining the actuator to move beyond a predetermined extent which is essential to bring the anchor arm into engagement with the shaft, and a slip mechanism for allowing slippage between a range selection member and the actuator during a restraint of the actuator.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 1993Date of Patent: June 18, 1996Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventor: Yuzo Ohkawa
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Patent number: 5426991Abstract: An automatic transmission includes a first transmission mechanism having a first shaft connectable to an output shaft of an engine, a second transmission mechanism associated with the first transmission mechanism, and having a second shaft in parallel with the first shaft, the second transmission mechanism being adapted for changing the torque speed of the first shaft, a hydraulic housing for accommodating a hydraulic control device for the second transmission mechanism, the second hydraulic housing being arranged above the second transmission mechanism, and an axis of the second shaft being positioned on either the same horizontal plane as an axis of the first shaft or a horizontal plane above the axis of the first shaft.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 1993Date of Patent: June 27, 1995Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Yuzo Ohkawa, Hidehiko Mishima, Kazunori Enokido, Tatsutoshi Mizobe, Toshihisa Marusue
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Patent number: 4952200Abstract: The automatic transmission casing includes a first case portion in which a torque converter is housed, a second case portion in which a transmission gear mechanism is housed being arranged in a series with the first case portion, and a third case portion in which a differential mechanism is housed being disposed extending in a transverse direction against the first and second case portions. The automatic transmission casing is further provided with a partition or wall member being disposed between the first and second case portions and with an reinforcement rib connecting the third case portion to the first or second case portion. Switching or shifting of power transmission pathways of the transmission gear mechanism is effected by operation of hydraulic actuators, and a plurality of accumulators to be used for prevention against a transmission shock are connected to the actuators and arranged separately in the partition member and the reinforcement rib.Type: GrantFiled: April 22, 1988Date of Patent: August 28, 1990Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventor: Yuzo Ohkawa