Patents by Inventor Akihiro Yanaka
Akihiro Yanaka 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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Patent number: 11958537Abstract: A vehicle includes a hood. The hood includes a hood outer and a hood inner. The hood inner has a plate shape, covers a lower surface of the hood outer, and is made of resin. A space is provided between the hood outer and the hood inner. The hood inner includes a shock absorbing portion that is bent so as to project toward the space. The shock absorbing portion has a central portion located at a center of the shock absorbing portion in a right-left direction of the vehicle and side portions located on respective sides of the central portion in the right-left direction. A thickness of the hood inner in the central portion is thicker than a thickness of the hood inner in the side portions.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2021Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Hidenori Iwayama
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Patent number: 11946292Abstract: A side door disclosed herein is a side door for a vehicle, and includes an inner panel, a door handle attached to the inner panel and operable by a user, an outer panel covering the inner panel from an outer side of the vehicle and having an opening that exposes the door handle, and a cover attached to the inner panel and at least partially closing the opening of the outer panel. A projection is provided in the cover to project into a space between the door handle and the outer panel at least in a vehicle front-rear direction across the door handle.Type: GrantFiled: November 3, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Takanori Komatsu
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Patent number: 11945504Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a mounted component provided in the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a pair of side member, a first crossmember, a second crossmember, and a bracket. The side members extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the side members are provided on the opposite sides across the mounted component in the vehicle right-left direction when the side members are viewed from above in the vehicle up-down direction. The first crossmember extends in the vehicle right-left direction such that the first crossmember is joined to surfaces of respective inner walls of the side members. The second crossmember extends in the vehicle right-left direction at a position closer to the mounted component than the first crossmember such that the second crossmember penetrates through the respective inner walls. The mounted component is connected to the first crossmember and the second crossmember via the bracket.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2021Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Tetsuji Shibata, Yoshinori Ikegami
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Patent number: 11814107Abstract: A vehicle includes: a hood; a cowl top placed rearward of the hood; a body structure disposed below the hood and the cowl top; and a shock absorber that is disposed between the hood and the body structure and is fixed to the body structure. At least one of the hood and the cowl top has a support portion facing a side surface of the shock absorber.Type: GrantFiled: October 11, 2021Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Hidenori Iwayama
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Patent number: 11787480Abstract: The technique disclosed in the present specification is embodied as a vehicle. The vehicle includes a floor panel and a pedal. The floor panel constitutes a floor of a vehicle cabin of the vehicle and has an inclined portion in a front portion of the floor panel. The inclined portion is inclined upward toward a front side of the vehicle. The pedal is disposed rearward of the inclined portion of the floor panel in a vehicle front-rear direction and operated by a driver of the vehicle toward the inclined portion. A raised portion that is raised toward the vehicle cabin is provided integrally with the inclined portion of the floor panel. When the driver places a foot on the pedal, the raised portion is located forward of a heel portion of the foot in the vehicle front-rear direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Shunsuke Teruyama
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Patent number: 11708114Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body including: an elongated frame made of a first material and extending along a door opening; and an elongated rail made of a second material having a linear expansion coefficient different from that of the first material, the rail covering the frame and extending along the frame, the rail being configured to abut with a weather strip when a door closes the door opening. The rail is fixed to the frame at a plurality of fixation parts that includes: a first fixation part provided in an intermediate part of the rail in the longitudinal direction of the rail; and second fixation parts provided, respectively, in opposite end parts of the rail in its longitudinal direction. In the longitudinal direction of the rail, backlash widths at the second fixation parts are larger than a backlash width at the first fixation part.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2021Date of Patent: July 25, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Masayuki Koizumi
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Patent number: 11667215Abstract: The technology described in the present specification is embodied in a vehicle. The vehicle includes a vehicle body, a seat, and a seat bracket. The vehicle body includes a pipe material extending in the vehicle right-left direction. The seat is provided in the vehicle body, and an occupant of the vehicle sits on the seat. The seat is fixed to the pipe material via the seat bracket. The seat bracket includes a bracket lower and a bracket upper. The bracket lower is placed below the pipe material. The bracket upper is placed above the pipe material such that the pipe material is sandwiched between the bracket upper and the bracket lower.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Yoshinori Ikegami, Yoshikazu Tanoue
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Publication number: 20220161861Abstract: A vehicle includes: a hood; a cowl top placed rearward of the hood; a body structure disposed below the hood and the cowl top; and a shock absorber that is disposed between the hood and the body structure and is fixed to the body structure. At least one of the hood and the cowl top has a support portion facing a side surface of the shock absorber.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 11, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Hidenori Iwayama
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Publication number: 20220161856Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body and a mounted component provided in the vehicle body. The vehicle body includes a pair of side member, a first crossmember, a second crossmember, and a bracket. The side members extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, and the side members are provided on the opposite sides across the mounted component in the vehicle right-left direction when the side members are viewed from above in the vehicle up-down direction. The first crossmember extends in the vehicle right-left direction such that the first crossmember is joined to surfaces of respective inner walls of the side members. The second crossmember extends in the vehicle right-left direction at a position closer to the mounted component than the first crossmember such that the second crossmember penetrates through the respective inner walls. The mounted component is connected to the first crossmember and the second crossmember via the bracket.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Tetsuji Shibata, Yoshinori Ikegami
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Publication number: 20220161644Abstract: A vehicle includes a vehicle body including: an elongated frame made of a first material and extending along a door opening; and an elongated rail made of a second material having a linear expansion coefficient different from that of the first material, the rail covering the frame and extending along the frame, the rail being configured to abut with a weather strip when a door closes the door opening. The rail is fixed to the frame at a plurality of fixation parts that includes: a first fixation part provided in an intermediate part of the rail in the longitudinal direction of the rail; and second fixation parts provided, respectively, in opposite end parts of the rail in its longitudinal direction. In the longitudinal direction of the rail, backlash widths at the second fixation parts are larger than a backlash width at the first fixation part.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Inventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Masayuki Koizumi
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Publication number: 20220161689Abstract: The technology described in the present specification is embodied in a vehicle. The vehicle includes a vehicle body, a seat, and a seat bracket. The vehicle body includes a pipe material extending in the vehicle right-left direction. The seat is provided in the vehicle body, and an occupant of the vehicle sits on the seat. The seat is fixed to the pipe material via the seat bracket. The seat bracket includes a bracket lower and a bracket upper. The bracket lower is placed below the pipe material. The bracket upper is placed above the pipe material such that the pipe material is sandwiched between the bracket upper and the bracket lower.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Yoshinori Ikegami, Yoshikazu Tanoue
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Publication number: 20220161863Abstract: A vehicle includes a hood. The hood includes a hood outer and a hood inner. The hood inner has a plate shape, covers a lower surface of the hood outer, and is made of resin. A space is provided between the hood outer and the hood inner. The hood inner includes a shock absorbing portion that is bent so as to project toward the space. The shock absorbing portion has a central portion located at a center of the shock absorbing portion in a right-left direction of the vehicle and side portions located on respective sides of the central portion in the right-left direction. A thickness of the hood inner in the central portion is thicker than a thickness of the hood inner in the side portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Hidenori Iwayama
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Publication number: 20220161865Abstract: The technique disclosed in the present specification is embodied as a vehicle. The vehicle includes a floor panel and a pedal. The floor panel constitutes a floor of a vehicle cabin of the vehicle and has an inclined portion in a front portion of the floor panel. The inclined portion is inclined upward toward a front side of the vehicle. The pedal is disposed rearward of the inclined portion of the floor panel in a vehicle front-rear direction and operated by a driver of the vehicle toward the inclined portion. A raised portion that is raised toward the vehicle cabin is provided integrally with the inclined portion of the floor panel. When the driver places a foot on the pedal, the raised portion is located forward of a heel portion of the foot in the vehicle front-rear direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Shunsuke Teruyama
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Publication number: 20220162888Abstract: A side door disclosed herein is a side door for a vehicle, and includes an inner panel, a door handle attached to the inner panel and operable by a user, an outer panel covering the inner panel from an outer side of the vehicle and having an opening that exposes the door handle, and a cover attached to the inner panel and at least partially closing the opening of the outer panel. A projection is provided in the cover to project into a space between the door handle and the outer panel at least in a vehicle front-rear direction across the door handle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2021Publication date: May 26, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Shinji Kurachi, Takanori Komatsu
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Patent number: 10050501Abstract: A brushless motor includes a first motor unit and a second motor unit having a common rotary shaft and coupled to each other in an axial direction in which the rotary shaft extends, and two resolvers configured to respectively detect a rotation angle of the first motor unit and a rotation angle of the second motor unit. The two resolvers are arranged in the first motor unit.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: August 14, 2018Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takumi Nakano, Takeru Matsumoto, Daisuke Miyata, Makoto Morita, Akihiro Yanaka
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Publication number: 20160099634Abstract: A brushless motor includes a first motor unit and a second motor unit having a common rotary shaft and coupled to each other in an axial direction in which the rotary shaft extends, and two resolvers configured to respectively detect a rotation angle of the first motor unit and a rotation angle of the second motor unit. The two resolvers are arranged in the first motor unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takumi NAKANO, Takeru MATSUMOTO, Daisuke MIYATA, Makoto MORITA, Akihiro YANAKA
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Patent number: 8050820Abstract: When a vehicle turns, a body and a left and a right wheel are inclined inward of a turning circle. Consequently forces are exerted to an operator in an up-down direction, which leads to reducing discomfort felt by the operator. In addition, since a gravity center of the vehicle is moved inward of the turning circle, a turning stability of the vehicle is improved.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2006Date of Patent: November 1, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Yoshikazu Motozono, Yasukazu Honda
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Patent number: 7822516Abstract: An automotive vehicle having a pre-selected function, and including a controller which controls an object and includes a plurality of redundant elements which are redundant with each other, and a function restraining portion which partially or fully restrains the function of the vehicle, when a pre-selected failure which has occurred to one of the redundant elements has not solved before another of the redundant elements has operated for more than a pre-set time since the occurrence of the failure.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2004Date of Patent: October 26, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Masayoshi Hoshino, Hirotada Otake, Tomokiyo Suzuki
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Patent number: 7740101Abstract: A driving operation device includes an input portion, an output portion and a form modifying portion that transmits an amount of operation of the input portion to the output portion. The form modifying portion can modify an orientation of the input portion depending on a position of the output portion. This can maintain the input portion vertical or horizontal, for example. The form modifying portion also can modify a ratio of an amount of operation of the input portion to an amount of change in the output result based upon the position of the output portion.Type: GrantFiled: January 17, 2008Date of Patent: June 22, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Akihiro Yanaka
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Publication number: 20080290618Abstract: When a vehicle turns, a body and a left and a right wheel are inclined inward of a turning circle. Consequently forces are exerted to an operator in an up-down direction, which leads to reducing discomfort felt by the operator. In addition, since a gravity center of the vehicle is moved inward of the turning circle, a turning stability of the vehicle is improved.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2006Publication date: November 27, 2008Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akihiro Yanaka, Yoshikazu Motozono, Yasukazu Honda