Patents by Inventor Hidekazu KITOU

Hidekazu KITOU 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: 9939296
    Abstract: In a slide position detecting device for a vehicle seat, an angle between a bottom plate portion and a side plate portion of an attachment bracket is set to a maximum angle in a range of an angle between a bottom wall portion and a side wall portion of a seat-side member; rigidity maintaining the angle between the bottom plate portion and the side plate portion is set to be lower than rigidity maintaining the angle between the bottom wall portion and the side wall portion; and when the side plate portion is fixed to the side wall portion, the bottom plate portion contacts the bottom wall portion or a top face portion of an upper rail, and is fixed in a state where the angle between the bottom plate portion and the side plate portion coincides with the angle between the bottom wall portion and the side wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitou, Tatsuya Ono
  • Patent number: 9701222
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes paired right and left recliners; operating pins respectively inserted through the recliners in an axial direction, and rotated about axes thereof to respectively unlock the recliners; and a rod that integrally connects the operating pins. One operating pin includes an operating shaft portion inserted through, and connected to one recliner, and a connection portion that contacts the rod and is connected to the rod. An insertion depth of the operating shaft portion with respect to the one recliner can be changed by moving the operating shaft portion between a first position in which the connection portion contacts the rod to be connectable to the rod, and a second position in which the connection portion is away from the rod in the axial direction. The operating shaft portion is connected to the one recliner so as to operate the one recliner, in the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Patent number: 9694730
    Abstract: Paired mounting portions to which holders are attached are each formed as a notch or a through hole extending in an up-down direction of an upper frame, so that the paired mounting portions are disposed across a central position of the upper frame in a seat-width direction, and the holders are attached to the paired mounting portions, respectively, and then fixed to an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the upper frame at a seat rearward position relative to a seating face portion of the upper frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Patent number: 9550502
    Abstract: A cover structure in a slide position detection device for a vehicle seat includes a magnetic detector disposed on a side of one of a fixed rail and a movable rail; a cover that covers the magnetic detector and that is disposed on the side of the one rail; and a detected portion disposed on a side of the other rail. The cover includes a lateral cover portion that covers a lateral portion of the magnetic detector, and a detection portion cover portion that faces and covers a detection portion of the magnetic detector; and the detection portion cover portion is provided with a ferromagnetic plate that faces the detection portion, the ferromagnetic plate being located at a position that is farther from the detection portion than a closest position of the detected portion relative to the detection portion, and the ferromagnetic plate shielding against magnetism from the magnetic detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2017
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Patent number: 9545862
    Abstract: A headrest is mounted to a seat back by inserting a support into a support hole of a holder and inserting a stay of the headrest into to stay hole of the support inserted into the support hole of the holder. A gap occupying part provided in the support moves between an advanced position at which the gap occupying part protrudes from an outer wall of the support and is capable of touching an inner surface of the support hole, and a retracted position at which the gap occupying part is retracted to an inner side of the stay hole from the advanced position. The gap occupying part moves toward the retracted position from the advanced position when the support is inserted into the support hole, and moves toward the advanced position when the stay is inserted into the stay hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitou, Akihide Ozaki
  • Patent number: 9440571
    Abstract: A conveyance seat includes a pair of side frames and a lower frame. The lower frame is formed to have a U-shaped section, an upper part of which is open, a center part position of a front side area of the U shape is recessed backward relative to both side positions in a view in a width direction of the seat. Cutouts are formed in end surfaces of the lower frame in areas connected with the pair of side frames, and the cutouts are made from the end surfaces to an inner side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Patent number: 9381841
    Abstract: A seat frame for a conveyance seat includes a cushion frame, a back frame, and a recliner. The side frame on a back side is structured by a panel extending in a front-back direction. Flange parts directed towards a center side in a seat width direction are provided in both front and back edge parts of the panel, respectively. A bead that crosses a deformation line is formed on the panel so as to prevent deformation of the panel of the side frame on the back side due to displacement of the front side flange part towards the center side in the seat width direction with respect to a connecting part with the recliner when backward load is applied to the back frame, the deformation line being a line set on the panel on an assumption that deformation occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitou, Yuusuke Akiyoshi
  • Patent number: 9315135
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a seatback; and a headrest. The seatback includes an upper frame and side frames. The side frame includes a side face portion, a first flange portion formed by bending a front side of the side face portion toward a seat inward side, and a second flange portion formed by bending a rear side of the side face portion toward the seat inward side. The upper frame is placed between the first flange portion and the second flange portion so as to be fixed to the flange portions, and the upper frame is connected to the side face portion, so that a relative movement between the upper frame and the side face portion is regulated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Kitou, Yushi Shinozaki
  • Patent number: 9296316
    Abstract: A seat frame of a conveyance seat includes: a cushion frame that has cushion side frames disposed on left and right sides; a back frame that has back side frames disposed on left and right sides; recliners that serve as rotary joints, each cushion side frame and the corresponding back side frame being coupled via the corresponding recliner; and recliner plates, each recliner and the corresponding cushion side frame being coupled via the corresponding recliner plate. Each recliner plate has a bent portion at which the recliner plate is bent such that a lower portion of the recliner plate under the recliner is offset in a width direction of the seat frame relative to another portion of the recliner plate, and a reinforcing portion that enhances a strength of the lower portion in an up-down direction of the seat frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignees: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu Kitou
  • Publication number: 20160061860
    Abstract: A cover structure in a slide position detection device for a vehicle seat includes a magnetic detector disposed on a side of one of a fixed rail and a movable rail; a cover that covers the magnetic detector and that is disposed on the side of the one rail; and a detected portion disposed on a side of the other rail. The cover includes a lateral cover portion that covers a lateral portion of the magnetic detector, and a detection portion cover portion that faces and covers a detection portion of the magnetic detector; and the detection portion cover portion is provided with a ferromagnetic plate that faces the detection portion, the ferromagnetic plate being located at a position that is farther from the detection portion than a closest position of the detected portion relative to the detection portion, and the ferromagnetic plate shielding against magnetism from the magnetic detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Applicants: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu KITOU
  • Publication number: 20150306994
    Abstract: A headrest is mounted to a seat back by inserting a support into a support hole of a holder and inserting a stay of the headrest into to stay hole of the support inserted into the support hole of the holder. A gap occupying part provided in the support moves between an advanced position at which the gap occupying part protrudes from an outer wall of the support and is capable of touching an inner surface of the support hole, and a retracted position at which the gap occupying part is retracted to an inner side of the stay hole from the advanced position. The gap occupying part moves toward the retracted position from the advanced position when the support is inserted into the support hole, and moves toward the advanced position when the stay is inserted into the stay hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu KITOU, Akihide OZAKI
  • Publication number: 20150306987
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes paired right and left recliners; operating pins respectively inserted through the recliners in an axial direction, and rotated about axes thereof to respectively unlock the recliners; and a rod that integrally connects the operating pins. One operating pin includes an operating shaft portion inserted through, and connected to one recliner, and a connection portion that contacts the rod and is connected to the rod. An insertion depth of the operating shaft portion with respect to the one recliner can be changed by moving the operating shaft portion between a first position in which the connection portion contacts the rod to be connectable to the rod, and a second position in which the connection portion is away from the rod in the axial direction. The operating shaft portion is connected to the one recliner so as to operate the one recliner, in the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Applicants: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu KITOU
  • Publication number: 20150091359
    Abstract: A conveyance seat includes a pair of side frames and a lower frame. The lower frame is formed to have a U-shaped section, an upper part of which is open, a center part position of a front side area of the U shape is recessed backward relative to both side positions in a view in a width direction of the seat. Cutouts are formed in end surfaces of the lower frame in areas connected with the pair of side frames, and the cutouts are made from the end surfaces to an inner side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hidekazu KITOU
  • Publication number: 20150091346
    Abstract: A seat frame of a conveyance seat includes: a cushion frame that has cushion side frames disposed on left and right sides; a back frame that has back side frames disposed on left and right sides; recliners that serve as rotary joints, each cushion side frame and the corresponding back side frame being coupled via the corresponding recliner; and recliner plates, each recliner and the corresponding cushion side frame being coupled via the corresponding recliner plate. Each recliner plate has a bent portion at which the recliner plate is bent such that a lower portion of the recliner plate under the recliner is offset in a width direction of the seat frame relative to another portion of the recliner plate, and a reinforcing portion that enhances a strength of the lower portion in an up-down direction of the seat frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicants: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SHIROKI CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidekazu KITOU
  • Publication number: 20150091355
    Abstract: A seat frame for a conveyance seat includes a cushion frame, a back frame, and a recliner. The side frame on a back side is structured by a panel extending in a front-back direction. Flange parts directed towards a center side in a seat width direction are provided in both front and back edge parts of the panel, respectively. A bead that crosses a deformation line is formed on the panel so as to prevent deformation of the panel of the side frame on the back side due to displacement of the front side flange part towards the center side in the seat width direction with respect to a connecting part with the recliner when backward load is applied to the back frame, the deformation line being a line set on the panel on an assumption that deformation occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: April 2, 2015
    Applicants: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu KITOU, Yuusuke AKIYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20140375098
    Abstract: Paired mounting portions to which holders are attached are each formed as a notch or a through hole extending in an up-down direction of an upper frame, so that the paired mounting portions are disposed across a central position of the upper frame in a seat-width direction, and the holders are attached to the paired mounting portions, respectively, and then fixed to an upper face portion and a lower face portion of the upper frame at a seat rearward position relative to a seating face portion of the upper frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventor: Hidekazu KITOU
  • Publication number: 20140375099
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a seatback; and a headrest. The seatback includes an upper frame and side frames. The side frame includes a side face portion, a first flange portion formed by bending a front side of the side face portion toward a seat inward side, and a second flange portion formed by bending a rear side of the side face portion toward the seat inward side. The upper frame is placed between the first flange portion and the second flange portion so as to be fixed to the flange portions, and the upper frame is connected to the side face portion, so that a relative movement between the upper frame and the side face portion is regulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Hidekazu KITOU, Yushi SHINOZAKI