Patents Assigned to Alpha Corporation
  • Publication number: 20150006029
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a control structure of a vehicle capable of reliably responding to an operation intention of a user outside the vehicle. The structure includes: a reflective optical sensor 5 configured to detect an entry of a detection target 4 into a recessed hollow section 1 formed in a vehicle outer wall according to a change in an amount of reflected beams of detection light 3 emitted from a light emitting opening 2 provided in one wall surface of the recessed hollow section 1 toward another wall surface of the recessed hollow section 1; and a controller 6 configured to operate a certain control target 7 when the reflective optical sensor 5 detects the entry of the detection target 4 into the recessed hollow section 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ono, Jun Endo, Kazuya Tanaka, Shun Rai, Wataru Hirai
  • Patent number: 8833810
    Abstract: A vehicle handle apparatus is provided with: a handle base fixed to a door of a vehicle; an operation handle rotatably connected to the handle base; and a relay lever which is rotatably connected to the handle base, and which is driven to rotate around a pivot by operating the operation handle. The relay lever is provided with: a sub-lever member including a connecting portion connected to an operating force transmitting member coupled to a door lock device in the door; and a main lever member which is driven to rotate by operating the operation handle. The sub-lever member and the main lever member are pivotally supported around the pivot so as to relatively rotate with respect to each other. The main lever member is connected with the sub-lever member by a connecting element when the connecting element is in a connecting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Tsutomu Koizumi, Satoshi Kubota
  • Publication number: 20140217756
    Abstract: A vehicle door handle device, which is mounted on a side of a vehicle door facing a passenger compartment, includes: a door lock knob provided on a base member such that the door lock knob is pivotable between a locking position for placing the door in a locked state and an unlocking position for placing the door in an unlocked position; and a stopper provided on the base member between the locking position and the unlocking position for limiting pivoting movement of the door lock knob. The stopper has an elastic section, and the door lock knob has a locking surface section for abutting against the elastic section of the stopper when the door lock knob is in the locking position and an unlocking surface section for abutting against the elastic section of the stopper when the door lock knob is in the unlocking position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2014
    Publication date: August 7, 2014
    Applicants: ALPHA Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Tanoguchi, Daichi Okamoto, Katsuya Ashizawa, Yutaka Saito
  • Patent number: 8727401
    Abstract: An inside door handle device includes: a handle base (10) fixed to an inner panel that composes a door interior of an automobile; an opening portion (11) formed of a through hole formed on one side of the handle base (10); an operation recessed portion (12) that has a recessed shape and is arranged adjacent to the opening portion (11) on the other side of the handle base (10); fixation portions (17) formed in the operation recessed portion (12) and fixed to the inner panel; a handle body (20) in which a grip portion (22) located on a tip end side is urged and held onto the operation recessed portion (12) while a base end side is being swingably supported on the opening portion (11) with handle support portions (14a) interposed therebetween; and a support beam (13) protruded on the opening portion (11) and formed into a fixed-fixed beam shape bent into an L-shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Ryoichi Tanaka, Yutaka Saitoh
  • Publication number: 20140069225
    Abstract: In a cable connection structure in which a roughly spherical cable end disposed at the tip of an inner wire is connected to a movable member, the movable member is provided with a pair of wing pieces that hold the inner wire, a cable insertion opening that guides the cable end to a space between the wing pieces, and a roughly elliptical cable end passage part that displaceably supports the cable end. The long axis of the roughly elliptical shape of the cable end passage part roughly coincides with the direction of insertion of the cable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Kudoh, Shinji Ichikawa, Ryuichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20140049058
    Abstract: This door handle device is provided with: a handle base; an introduction opening that is opened in a door handle and that supports the handle base; an operation handle that is connected to the handle base; and a gasket that is disposed between the handle base and the operation handle. A handle stopper, of which one end passes through the introduction aperture and is borne by the handle base, and of which the other end contacts the operation handle, is integrally provided to the gasket.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Kudoh, Shinji Ichikawa, Ryuichi Yoshida, Kouji Tsuji
  • Publication number: 20140041310
    Abstract: The door handle device of a vehicle is provided with: a handle base disposed along the rear surface of a door panel; and an operation handle that is coupled to the handle base. The handle base has hook-shaped pressing portions that ride on a protruding portion provided to the oppossed side edges along the sliding direction of a mounting opening provided to the door panel accompanying a sliding operation along the door panel; a panel-abutting portion that sandwiches the door panel in cooperation with the hook-shaped pressing portions; and an elastic locking piece that restricts the rearwards motion of the handle base by resilient locking to the center of a rear end edge of the mounting opening, and restricts removal of the hook-shaped pressing portions from the protruding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: February 13, 2014
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Shuichi Kudoh, Shinji Ichikawa, Ryuichi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 8646295
    Abstract: A steering lock device includes a main frame, a lock insertion hole formed on the main frame, a lock member slidably disposed in the lock insertion hole, a pin insertion portion formed on the lock member, a stopper housing portion formed on the main frame, a stopper pin housed in the stopper housing portion, and a trigger detachably disposed on the main frame. The stopper pin is urged toward a latch position by a stopper, and engaged, in a state of positioning at the latch position, with the pin insertion portion of the lock member positioning at the lock position. The trigger holds, in a state of being attached on the main frame, the stopper pin at an unlatch position by contacting with the stopper pin. First stepped portions for engaging with the stopper pin positioning at the latch position are disposed in a side of the unlock position, around an opening of the stopper housing portion and on a wall surface of the lock insertion hole facing to the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Sugimoto
  • Patent number: 8646296
    Abstract: A steering locking device (1, 1A, 1B, 1C) includes: a locking member (6) including a first face (B) parallel to an axial direction of a steering shaft, a second face (C) perpendicular to the first face (B), and a protrusion (62) protruding from the second face (B); and a sliding plate (91) extending from the first face (B) in a plate thickness direction (D) of the locking member (6), arranged outside the first face (B), and engageable with the protrusion (62).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignees: Alpha Corporation, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Okada, Takeshi Sakano, Kenjirou Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20140026708
    Abstract: An auxiliary lock mechanism that locks a lock member (6) at a steering lock position is provided. In the auxiliary lock member, a slide plate (91) thereof engages with an auxiliary engagement portion (95) of the lock member (6) located at the steering lock position in such a manner that engagement between a holding member (21) and a holding/receiving portion (93) thereof is disengaged. On a more rear end side of the lock member (6) than the auxiliary engagement portion (95), a fragile portion (74) is provided, in which a load is set smaller than a load tolerable by the slide plate (91). In a case where a load of a set value or more is applied to the lock member (6), the lock member (6) is torn at the fragile portion (74).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Okada, Kenjirou Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20140013895
    Abstract: On at least either one of an inside of an opening edge of a cover (2) and an outside of an opening edge of a frame (3), an inclined portion (95) is formed, and on the other of the inside of the opening edge of the cover (2) and the outside of the opening edge of the frame (3), an inclination receiving portion (96) is formed. In such a way, in an event where external force is applied to the inclined portion (95) from an outside, the inclination receiving portion (96) slides on the inclined portion (95), and positionally shifts or falls off the cover (2).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Applicants: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD., ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takahiro Okada, Kenjirou Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8575506
    Abstract: A push switch is provided with a button (10), a switch board (20), a switch (30) provided on the switch board (20), and a switch cover (40) disposed in the button (10) and covering the switch (30). A corner portion (44) between a side wall (43) and a upper wall (42) of the switch cover (40) is formed in a curved shape. A protruding pressing portion (13) of the button (10) is inserted into a through hole (41) provided on an upper wall (42) of the switch cover (40). A lower surface of the pressing portion (13) faces an operating portion (31) of the switch (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignees: Tokyo Parts Industrial Co., Ltd., Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Kitahara, Toshiyuki Muto, Kenji Mizushima
  • Patent number: 8562039
    Abstract: A door handle apparatus for a vehicle is provided with a handle base to be fixed to a door of the vehicle and an operating handle. One end of the operating handle is pivotally coupled to the handle base. On the other end of the operating handle, an operating leg protrudes. The operating leg portion includes a stopper protrusion for butting with a part of the handle base to define a termination of a rotating stroke of the operating handle is provided. The operating leg portion further includes a shake preventing protrusion on a free end side of the stopper protrusion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Ryuji Minemura
  • Patent number: 8523412
    Abstract: A door handle apparatus includes: a handle base (2) secured to a vehicle door (1); an operation handle (3) freely rotatably coupled to the handle base (2); and a lighting device (6) including a light emitting element (5) that emits light by being fed with power through wire harnesses (4) inserted through an inside of the operation handle (3). An irradiation opening (7) is formed on a sidewall of the operation handle (3), which is opposite to the ground in a state where the operation handle (3) is attached onto the door (1). The lighting device (6) is formed in a lens portion (9) sealing the light emitting element (5) in cooperation with sealing resin (8), and is secured to the operation handle (3) by fitting, to the irradiation opening (7), a fitting protruding portion (10) having a shape coinciding with the irradiation opening (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Tomoya Tanaka, Makoto Igeta
  • Patent number: 8513556
    Abstract: A push switch (1) includes an internal button (40), an external button (10), a switch (30) disposed inside the internal button (40), a casing (50) fixed to a side wall (43) of the internal button (40), an inner collar portion (51) provided in the casing (50) and engaged with a groove portion (46) of the internal button (40), an overhanging portion (17) formed in the external button (10), and an outer collar portion (47) formed in the internal button (40) and located between the overhanging portion (17) and the inner collar portion (51) so as to define apart of the groove portion (46). The overhanging portion (17) is disposed separately from the outer collar portion (47) by a gap. The overhanging portion (17) abuts against the outer collar portion (47) when the external button (10) is pushed to elastically deform the internal button (40) to thereby turn on the switch (30).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignees: Tokyo Parts Industrial Co., Ltd., Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Takahisa Kitahara, Toshiyuki Muto, Kenji Mizushima
  • Patent number: 8505346
    Abstract: An electric steering lock device includes a worm wheel (8) that is rotated, in an unlock direction and a lock direction by the drive of a motor (6), a first cam member (9) and a second cam member (10) that are disposed in the worm wheel (8), a lock member (11) that follows the first cam member (9) and shifts between a lock position and an unlock position, and a holding lever (12) that follows the second cam member (10) and shifts between a standby position and a holding position. A detected part (24) is disposed in the first cam member (9), and first and second position sensors (S1, S2) that regard the detected part (24) as a detection target are disposed. The detection outputs of the first position sensor (S1) and the second position sensor (S2) detect the lock position and the unlock position of the lock member (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventor: Koichiro Sugimoto
  • Publication number: 20130168980
    Abstract: A vehicle door handle device is provided with a handle base, an escutcheon member, and a plurality of connection portions which connect the handle base and the escutcheon member to each other. The plurality of connecting portions include: a first connecting portion including an inclined surface which causes a motion component force toward a frame exterior to be generated in the escutcheon member by a horizontal operating force applied to the escutcheon member, thereby unlocking the first connecting portion; a second connection portion which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member using a moveable region in a vicinity of the first connection portion generated by the unlocking in the first connecting portion; and an n-th connection portion which is unlocked by deforming the escutcheon member using the moveable region due to the unlocking in the preceding connection portions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryuji Minemura
  • Publication number: 20130169408
    Abstract: A vehicle door control apparatus is provided with an authentication unit, a detection unit and a control unit. The authentication unit authenticates an ID information outputted from a mobile device carried by a user. The detection unit detects an object around a door. The control unit performs an opening operation of the door at least when both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied. In the first condition, the authentication unit authenticates the ID information. In the second condition, the detection unit detects that the object is separated from a predetermined determination area after the object is continuously located in the determination area over a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2012
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Jun Endo
  • Publication number: 20130168979
    Abstract: In a vehicle door handle device, an operating member is pivotally supported to a handle base. A door lock device is operated via an operating force transmitting part by a rotation of the operating member from an initial position to an operating position. A connection-retaining member attached to the operating member retains a connection of one end of the operating force transmitting part to the operating member and abuts against a stopper wall surface of the handle base so as to define an operating stroke end position of the operating member. A second stopper is provided on the operating member and abuts against the handle base in an over-stroke position beyond the operating stroke end position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: July 4, 2013
    Applicant: ALPHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryuji Minemura
  • Patent number: 8469412
    Abstract: A door handle device is provided with: a door handle 9 by which the door of a vehicle can be opened and closed; a mounting bracket 11 for supporting the door handle 9 through a supporting shaft 15 so that the door handle can be swung in the back-and-forth direction with respect to the door 3 of the vehicle; and a switch unit 13, which is arranged between the door handle 9 and the mounting bracket 11, which generates an electric signal for locking and unlocking a door lock provided in the door of the vehicle. A contact portion (an engaging groove 27), with which the supporting shaft 15 comes into contact, is formed in the switch unit 13. When the supporting shaft 15 is inserted into a handle shaft insertion hole 9b and a bracket shaft insertion hole 11a so that the supporting shaft 15 can be engaged with the holes by an engaging grove 27, the switch unit is fixed to the mounting bracket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Alpha Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Mizushima, Toshikazu Kiso, Mitsuo Nishizuka