Patents by Inventor Heishiro Fudo

Heishiro Fudo 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).

  • Publication number: 20230415524
    Abstract: A tire position identification device is provided as a device that can identify the positions of wheels to which tires are attached by using information about other than air pressure. The tire position identification device has: deformation detection units, each of which can detect deformation of the relevant tire; a turn detection unit that can detect whether a vehicle having the tires and wheels has made a turn and can also detect the direction of the turn; a speed detection unit that can detect the speed of the vehicle, and a control unit that infers the positions of the wheels to which the tires are attached according to the deformation of the tires, the direction of the turn of the vehicle, and its speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Applicant: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Hiroyuki TOBARI, Yuki ONO, Masanaga TAKAHASHI
  • Patent number: 11851919
    Abstract: A door handle includes a door handle case and an electrostatic sensor provided in the door handle case. The electrostatic sensor includes a detection electrode that is formed of a flat conductor plate, or that is formed on a surface of a flat substrate or within a flat substrate. The detection electrode includes a middle portion in a longitudinal direction of the detection electrode and includes peripheral portions proximal to both end portions of the detection electrode in the longitudinal direction. For a width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each peripheral portion is wider than the middle portion, and the width of the detection electrode gradually increases toward each end portion in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Takashi Sasaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Yuzuru Kawana, Heishiro Fudo, Yukimitsu Yamada, Hiroshi Shigetaka
  • Publication number: 20230406046
    Abstract: A tire information detection device that detects tire information including at least one of wear, deformation, road surface state, ground contact state, presence/absence of failure, travel history, load state, or frictional coefficient, includes at least one detection unit disposed on a tire inner surface, a power supply unit to supply power to the detection unit, a position information detection unit to detect position information of the tire or a vehicle, an additional information acquisition unit to acquire additional information associated with the position information, a determination unit to determine whether a current position specified based on the position information is included in an area that satisfies a determination condition extracted from the additional information, and a control unit to control measurement of the detection unit based on a determination result from the determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2021
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro NARUSE, Jun MATSUDA, Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Shinichi SEO, Yuki OHNO
  • Patent number: 11773629
    Abstract: An operation detection device includes an electrostatic sensor accommodated inside a casing and including a first conductor and a second conductor, and a controller electrically connected to the first conductor and the second conductor, and applies a voltage to each of the first conductor and the second conductor, to measure an electrostatic capacitance of each of the first conductor and the second conductor. The first conductor is arranged in and the second conductor is not arranged in a detection region in which an operating body is detected by the electrostatic sensor. The first conductor and the second conductor are arranged in a non-detection region in which the operating body is not detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Daisuke Takai, Takashi Sasaki, Yuzuru Kawana, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Heishiro Fudo
  • Publication number: 20230158837
    Abstract: A tire wear measuring device that detects wear of a tire based on a magnetic field from a magnetic object embedded in the tire includes magnetic sensors and a battery. The battery is capable of transmitting the magnetic field from the magnetic object, and has an outer edge from which the magnetic field from the magnetic object is emitted as an emission magnetic field. Each of the magnetic sensors is disposed in a position where the emission magnetic field is detectable by the sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2023
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Yuki IMAI, Tokuo NAKAMURA, Takafumi NOGUCHI, Hiroyuki TOBARI, Shinya ICHISE, Ryosuke SUZUKI, Rie KUROSAWA, Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Manabu TAMURA, Nobuhiko SUEMATSU
  • Publication number: 20230160780
    Abstract: Provided is a tire information detecting device capable of determining an attachment state of a sensor module based on a measurement value supplied from the sensor module installed in a pneumatic tire and accurately detecting tire information. A tire information detecting device (10) configured to detect tire information including at least one of wear of a tire, deformation of the tire, a road surface state, a ground contact state of the tire, presence of failure of the tire, a travel history of the tire, or a load state of the tire includes at least one sensor module (20) disposed on a tire inner surface and a determination unit (15) configured to determine an attachment state of the sensor module (20) based on a measurement value supplied from the sensor module (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2021
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro NARUSE, Jun MATSUDA, Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Hiroyuki TOBARI
  • Publication number: 20230108225
    Abstract: A wear-condition-sensing device includes an element configured to generate voltage based on deformation of a tread portion during tire rotation, a voltage detection unit configured to detect the voltage generated by the element, a storage area configured to store waveform data over time of the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate an index value of voltage change based on the waveform data stored in the storage area, and a determination unit configured to determine a progress condition of wear of the tread portion by comparing the index value calculated by the calculation unit with reference information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro NARUSE, Jun MATSUDA, Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Hiroyuki TOBARI, Yuki ONO
  • Publication number: 20230081018
    Abstract: A wear state detection device includes an element configured to generate voltage based on deformation of a tread portion during tire rotation, a voltage detection unit configured to detect the voltage generated by the element, a speed detection unit configured to detect vehicle speed or tire rotation speed, a storage area configured to store waveform data over time of the voltage detected by the voltage detection unit together with the vehicle speed or the tire rotation speed detected by the speed detection unit, a calculation unit configured to calculate frequency of exceedance of a predetermined threshold value based on the waveform data in a predetermined speed range and a predetermined time period stored in the storage area, and a determination unit configured to determine a progress condition of wear of the tread portion based on the frequency of exceedance of the predetermined threshold value calculated by the calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2021
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro NARUSE, Jun MATSUDA, Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Hiroyuki TOBARI, Yuki ONO
  • Patent number: 11492823
    Abstract: A door handle includes door handle case, a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode disposed in the door handle case, and a controller connected to the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode. The controller separately measures a first capacitance between the first detection electrode and an operation body and a second capacitance between the second detection electrode and the operation body, and the controller determines whether a locking operation is performed by the operation body based on one or both of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2022
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshiki Nakamura, Takashi Sasaki, Yoshiyuki Kikuchi, Yuzuru Kawana, Yukimitsu Yamada, Daisuke Takai, Heishiro Fudo
  • Publication number: 20220080779
    Abstract: A tire deterioration inferring (estimating) method uses a tire deterioration inferring device placed on the inner surface of a tire. The method has: a deformation velocity measurement step of measuring a tire deformation velocity, which is the deformation velocity of the tire while the tire is rotating, and obtaining time-series changes in the tire deformation velocity; a calculation step of calculating peak values of the tire deformation velocity from the time-series changes in the tire deformation velocity; and an inference step of inferring the degree of the deterioration of the tire by using a first peak value, which is a peak value of the tire deformation velocity before and at the stepping of the tire or at and after the kicking of the tire, the first peak value being in the time-series changes in the tire deformation velocity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Shinya ICHISE, Hiroyuki TOBARI, Akihito YAMAMOTO, Yuki ONO
  • Publication number: 20210273153
    Abstract: A composite piezoelectric element includes a first electrode layer, a piezoelectric substance layer disposed on the first electrode layer, and a second electrode layer disposed on the piezoelectric substance layer, and, in plan view, a measuring unit including the first electrode layer, the piezoelectric substance layer, and the second electrode layer and a buffer portion in which the piezoelectric substance layer is not provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2021
    Publication date: September 2, 2021
    Inventors: Heishiro FUDO, Eiji SHINOHARA, Akihito YAMAMOTO, Shinya ICHISE, Yuki ONO, Hisashi KOMATSU, Hiroyuki TOBARI
  • Publication number: 20200392769
    Abstract: A door handle includes door handle case, a first detection electrode and a second detection electrode disposed in the door handle case, and a controller connected to the first detection electrode and the second detection electrode. The controller separately measures a first capacitance between the first detection electrode and an operation body and a second capacitance between the second detection electrode and the operation body, and the controller determines whether a locking operation is performed by the operation body based on one or both of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiki NAKAMURA, Takashi SASAKI, Yoshiyuki KIKUCHI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Yukimitsu YAMADA, Daisuke TAKAI, Heishiro FUDO
  • Publication number: 20200378161
    Abstract: An operation detection device includes an electrostatic sensor accommodated inside a casing and including a first conductor and a second conductor, and a controller electrically connected to the first conductor and the second conductor, and applies a voltage to each of the first conductor and the second conductor, to measure an electrostatic capacitance of each of the first conductor and the second conductor. The first conductor is arranged in and the second conductor is not arranged in a detection region in which an operating body is detected by the electrostatic sensor. The first conductor and the second conductor are arranged in a non-detection region in which the operating body is not detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiki NAKAMURA, Daisuke TAKAI, Takashi SASAKI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Yoshiyuki KIKUCHI, Heishiro FUDO
  • Publication number: 20200331328
    Abstract: A door handle includes a door handle case and an electrostatic sensor provided in the door handle case. The electrostatic sensor includes a detection electrode that is formed of a flat conductor plate, or that is formed on a surface of a flat substrate or within a flat substrate. The detection electrode includes a middle portion in a longitudinal direction of the detection electrode and includes peripheral portions proximal to both end portions of the detection electrode in the longitudinal direction. For a width of the detection electrode in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, each peripheral portion is wider than the middle portion, and the width of the detection electrode gradually increases toward each end portion in the longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 22, 2020
    Inventors: Toshiki NAKAMURA, Takashi SASAKI, Yoshiyuki KIKUCHI, Yuzuru KAWANA, Heishiro FUDO, Yukimitsu YAMADA, Hiroshi SHIGETAKA
  • Patent number: 10770644
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate that is flexible and thermally deformable, and a composite piezoelectric body disposed on the substrate. Output in accordance with deformation of the composite piezoelectric body is obtained. The composite piezoelectric body includes a piezoelectric layer containing an organic binder containing piezoelectric particles, a first electrode layer stacked on a first surface side of the piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode stacked on a second surface side of the piezoelectric layer. The substrate is insert molded and integrated with a molded resin body having a curved shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heishiro Fudo, Yasuji Hagiwara, Daisuke Takai, Shoji Sakurai, Masahiro Ishida, Yo Tahara
  • Patent number: 10298231
    Abstract: An input device includes a capacitive sensor and a piezoelectric sensor. The piezoelectric sensor is positioned on the front side of the capacitive sensor in a front-to-back direction from the front to the back of the input device, and is configured to change its output in response to a force applied to the piezoelectric sensor from its front side. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode and a second electrode positioned across the piezoelectric layer from each other in the front-to-back direction. The capacitive sensor includes a capacitive sensing area where the capacitive sensor is configured to perform a sensing operation. The first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric sensor do not overlap the capacitive sensing area when viewed in the front-to-back direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: ALPS ALPINE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shigetaka, Kunio Sato, Hiroaki Takahashi, Heishiro Fudo, Jo Ri
  • Publication number: 20180183438
    Abstract: An input device includes a capacitive sensor and a piezoelectric sensor. The piezoelectric sensor is positioned on the front side of the capacitive sensor in a front-to-back direction from the front to the back of the input device, and is configured to change its output in response to a force applied to the piezoelectric sensor from its front side. The piezoelectric sensor includes a piezoelectric layer and a first electrode and a second electrode positioned across the piezoelectric layer from each other in the front-to-back direction. The capacitive sensor includes a capacitive sensing area where the capacitive sensor is configured to perform a sensing operation. The first electrode and the second electrode of the piezoelectric sensor do not overlap the capacitive sensing area when viewed in the front-to-back direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shigetaka, Kunio Sato, Hiroaki Takahashi, Heishiro Fudo, Jo Ri
  • Publication number: 20170317265
    Abstract: A piezoelectric device includes a substrate that is flexible and thermally deformable, and a composite piezoelectric body disposed on the substrate. Output in accordance with deformation of the composite piezoelectric body is obtained. The composite piezoelectric body includes a piezoelectric layer containing an organic binder containing piezoelectric particles, a first electrode layer stacked on a first surface side of the piezoelectric layer, and a second electrode stacked on a second surface side of the piezoelectric layer. The substrate is insert molded and integrated with a molded resin body having a curved shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: November 2, 2017
    Inventors: Heishiro FUDO, Yasuji HAGIWARA, Daisuke TAKAI, Shoji SAKURAI, Masahiro ISHIDA, Yo TAHARA
  • Patent number: 9217970
    Abstract: A heater for fixing devices includes a glass substrate, a heating element, electrode patterns connected to the heating element, a first protective layer, and a second protective layer. The glass substrate is made of an alkali-free glass. The first protective layer is formed by firing a mixture of a first glass powder and a first filler. The first glass powder contains no alkali metal oxide and has a lower softening point than the glass substrate. The first filler has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the alkali-free glass for the glass substrate. The second protective layer is made of a material that does not contain the first filler contained in the first protective layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heishiro Fudo, Tomoko Wauke, Eihin Setsu, Hirotoshi Terao, Kazuma Kobashi, Eiji Okada, Susumu Nakajima, Mikio Onodera
  • Publication number: 20140353303
    Abstract: A heater for fixing devices includes a glass substrate, a heating element, electrode patterns connected to the heating element, a first protective layer, and a second protective layer. The glass substrate is made of an alkali-free glass. The first protective layer is formed by firing a mixture of a first glass powder and a first filler. The first glass powder contains no alkali metal oxide and has a lower softening point than the glass substrate. The first filler has a lower thermal expansion coefficient than the alkali-free glass for the glass substrate. The second protective layer is made of a material that does not contain the first filler contained in the first protective layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicant: ALPS ELECTRIC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Heishiro FUDO, Tomoko WAUKE, Eihin SETSU, Hirotoshi TERAO, Kazuma KOBASHI, Eiji OKADA, Susumu NAKAJIMA, Mikio Onodera