Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Utsunomiya
Hirofumi Utsunomiya 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: 11843210Abstract: A rotary connector device includes a stator, a rotor and an electrical connector; the rotor including a rotor main body and a connector housing. The connector housing includes a first connector holder and a second connector holder. The second connector holder includes a second holder main body, a first wall, and a second wall. The first wall extends from the second holder main body along an axial direction parallel to the rotation axis. The second wall extends from the second holder main body along the axial direction and is coupled to the first wall.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Yuya Hasegawa, Syuji Hirai, Hirofumi Utsunomiya
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Publication number: 20230170657Abstract: A rotary connector device includes a first case, a second case, and a stopper structure. The stopper structure includes a movable member, a movement conversion portion, and a stopper. The movable member is rotatable about a rotation axis along with the second case with respect to the first case. The movable member is movable in an axial direction defined along the rotation axis with respect to the first case and the second case. The movement conversion portion is to convert a relative rotation of the first case and the second case into a movement of the movable member in the axial direction with respect to the first case and the second case. The stopper is provided on at least one of the first case and the second case. The stopper is contactable with the movable member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Yohei YAMAGAMI, Shinichi HAMASAKI, Masaya ARAKI, Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA
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Patent number: 11539263Abstract: A rotary connector device body in which a rotator and a stator are assembled so as to be relatively rotatable has a housing space that can house an FFC inside. The rotary connector device body has a viewing window that is a through hole through which the housing space is viewed from outside of the rotary connector device body, a cover member disposed at the viewing window so as to cover the viewing window, an outer regulating portion facing outside of the rotary connector device body and disposed so as to be able to contact an outer surface of the cover member, and an inner regulating portion facing the housing space and disposed so as to be able to contact an inner surface of the cover member. The cover member is disposed between an outer regulating portion and an inner regulating portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Kento Oiwa, Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Masatoshi Ushiyama, Masashi Kanazawa, Kosuke Sato
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Publication number: 20220181830Abstract: A flat cable assembly for a rotary connector device includes a first lead block, a first flat cable, and a second flat cable. The first lead block includes a first lead block body and a first conductor that includes a first exposure surface exposed from the first lead block body and is attached to the first lead block body. The first flat cable includes a first cable end portion connected to the first exposure surface so as to extend from the first exposure surface in a first direction. The second flat cable includes a second cable end portion connected to the first exposure surface so as to extend from the first exposure surface in a second direction, which is different from the first direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 25, 2022Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Yoji TAJIRI, Yoshihiro SHIOTANI, Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA
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Patent number: 11325545Abstract: A rotary connector device is provided, which includes a moving member on a stator side in an insertion direction of a steering shaft, the moving member including a first recessed portion recessed in the insertion direction and located in a first direction (X) orthogonal to a center axis (Cx) of the stator, and a second recessed portion recessed in a direction opposite to the first recessed portion and located in a second direction (Y); a rotator including a first guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the first recessed portion; a rotating portion provided in the stator and configured to rotate about the center axis (Cx) includes a second guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the second recessed portion; and the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion are capable of movement in the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y).Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: May 10, 2022Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Hirofumi Utsunomiya
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Patent number: 11279304Abstract: A rotary connector device is provided, which includes a moving member on a stator side in an insertion direction of a steering shaft, the moving member including a first recessed portion recessed in the insertion direction and located in a first direction (X) orthogonal to a center axis (Cx) of the stator, and a second recessed portion recessed in a direction opposite to the first recessed portion and located in a second direction (Y); a rotator including a first guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the first recessed portion; a rotating portion provided in the stator and configured to rotate about the center axis (Cx) includes a second guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the second recessed portion; and the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion are capable of movement in the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y).Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2020Date of Patent: March 22, 2022Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Hirofumi Utsunomiya
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Publication number: 20210384687Abstract: A rotary connector device includes a stator, a rotor and an electrical connector; the rotor including a rotor main body and a connector housing. The connector housing includes a first connector holder and a second connector holder. The second connector holder includes a second holder main body, a first wall, and a second wall. The first wall extends from the second holder main body along an axial direction parallel to the rotation axis. The second wall extends from the second holder main body along the axial direction and is coupled to the first wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2021Publication date: December 9, 2021Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Yuya HASEGAWA, Syuji HIRAI, Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA
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Patent number: 11150016Abstract: A nitrogen production system that can produce high purity nitrogen containing a desired concentration of oxygen and ultrahigh purity nitrogen containing a desired concentration of argon in a single rectifying column while restraining increase in electric power consumption and a production process thereof are provided. The method can include the steps of rectifying a cooled and compressed air stream in the rectifying column; withdrawing the ultrahigh purity nitrogen stream from a top portion of the nitrogen rectifying column, warming the ultrahigh purity nitrogen stream in a heat exchanger, and then recovering the ultrahigh purity nitrogen stream from the heat exchanger; and withdrawing a high purity nitrogen stream from a rectification section of the nitrogen rectifying column, warming the high purity nitrogen stream in the heat exchanger, and then recovering the high purity nitrogen stream from the heat exchanger.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 2018Date of Patent: October 19, 2021Assignee: L'Air Societe Anonyme Pour L'Etude Et L'Exploitation Des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Kenji Hirose, Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Daisuke Nagata, Yasuharu Nishi, Shinji Tomita
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Patent number: 10894557Abstract: A steering column structure includes a rotary connector, a steering column cover, and a steering lower cover attached with a gap defined between the steering lower cover and the steering column cover. The steering column cover includes a first side wall portion defining the gap, and a first insertion hole that is disposed in the first side wall portion and into which the rotary connector is inserted. The steering lower cover includes a second side wall portion facing the first side wall portion and defining the gap together with the first side wall portion, and a second insertion hole that is disposed in the second side wall portion and into which the rotary connector is inserted. The first side wall portion includes a first dam portion disposed in a position corresponding to the rotary connector above the rotary connector.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: January 19, 2021Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Masatoshi Ushiyama
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Publication number: 20210001789Abstract: A rotary connector device is provided, which includes a moving member on a stator side in an insertion direction of a steering shaft, the moving member including a first recessed portion recessed in the insertion direction and located in a first direction (X) orthogonal to a center axis (Cx) of the stator, and a second recessed portion recessed in a direction opposite to the first recessed portion and located in a second direction (Y); a rotator including a first guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the first recessed portion; a rotating portion provided in the stator and configured to rotate about the center axis (Cx) includes a second guide portion configured to loosely fit together with and guide the second recessed portion; and the first recessed portion and the second recessed portion are capable of movement in the first direction (X) and the second direction (Y).Type: ApplicationFiled: September 15, 2020Publication date: January 7, 2021Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA
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Patent number: 10826249Abstract: A rotary connector apparatus includes: a ring-shaped fixed member; a ring-shaped rotating member rotatably fitted to the fixed member; a flexible flat cable housed in a housing space formed by the fixed member and the rotating member, the flexible flat cable having a plurality of wires, one end of the flexible flat cable being fixed to the fixed member and another end thereof being fixed to the rotating member, wherein a first connector housing attached to the fixed member accommodates a plurality of electrically conductive paths that respectively connect a plurality of first terminals to the plurality of wires at said one end of the flexible flat cable, and at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive paths is configured to removably receive a protection device so as to protect the path from overcurrent.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2018Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Kenji Hiroki, Masashi Kanazawa
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Publication number: 20200235632Abstract: A rotary connector device body in which a rotator and a stator are assembled so as to be relatively rotatable has a housing space that can house an FFC inside. The rotary connector device body has a viewing window that is a through hole through which the housing space is viewed from outside of the rotary connector device body, a cover member disposed at the viewing window so as to cover the viewing window, an outer regulating portion facing outside of the rotary connector device body and disposed so as to be able to contact an outer surface of the cover member, and an inner regulating portion facing the housing space and disposed so as to be able to contact an inner surface of the cover member. The cover member is disposed between an outer regulating portion and an inner regulating portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Kento OIWA, Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA, Masatoshi USHIYAMA, Masashi KANAZAWA, Kosuke SATO
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Patent number: 10611324Abstract: Provided is a connection structure body capable of detecting a break with ease and high accuracy and achieving high connection reliability and safety. A connection structure body 2 includes a first FFC (41), a stator side primary molding body (50), and a rotator side primary molding body (60) which are attached to both end portions (41A) and (41B) of the first FFC respectively and are able to make an electrical connection between the first FFC and the outside. The rotator side primary molding body 60 includes busbars (61-1a), (61-1b), (61-1c), and (61-1d) arranged in parallel to each other corresponding to busbars (51-1a to 51-1d), a conductive portion (61-2) that electrically connects a pair of busbars (61-1a) and (61-1d) positioned on both ends respectively in the alignment direction of the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d), and a busbar case (62) for holding the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d) in such a manner that the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d) are partly exposed.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2019Date of Patent: April 7, 2020Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Masashi Kanazawa
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Patent number: 10418730Abstract: [Problems] A cable connecting structure for connecting bus bars and an insulating part with a simple configuration is provided. [Means for solving the problems] The cable connecting structure includes a plurality of bus bars (60), a flexible flat cable (14), and an insulating part (40). The flexible flat cable (14) is connected to the bus bars (60). The insulating part (40) has bus bar mounting grooves (41) for arranging the bus bars (60) individually and a bus bar fixing portion (45) for fixing the bus bars (60) by overlapping the bus bars (60). A triangular protrusion (62) that protrudes toward a side where the flexible flat cable (14) is mounted is formed in each of the bus bars (60). The flexible flat cable (14) is connected to the triangular protrusion (62) in each of the bus bars (60).Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2016Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventor: Hirofumi Utsunomiya
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Publication number: 20190263337Abstract: Provided is a connection structure body capable of detecting a break with ease and high accuracy and achieving high connection reliability and safety. A connection structure body 2 includes a first FFC (41), a stator side primary molding body (50), and a rotator side primary molding body (60) which are attached to both end portions (41A) and (41B) of the first FFC respectively and are able to make an electrical connection between the first FFC and the outside. The rotator side primary molding body 60 includes busbars (61-1a), (61-1b), (61-1c), and (61-1d) arranged in parallel to each other corresponding to busbars (51-1a to 51-1d), a conductive portion (61-2) that electrically connects a pair of busbars (61-1a) and (61-1d) positioned on both ends respectively in the alignment direction of the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d), and a busbar case (62) for holding the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d) in such a manner that the busbars (61-1a to 61-1d) are partly exposed.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA, Masashi KANAZAWA
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Publication number: 20190131749Abstract: A rotary connector apparatus includes: a ring-shaped fixed member; a ring-shaped rotating member rotatably fitted to the fixed member; a flexible flat cable housed in a housing space formed by the fixed member and the rotating member, the flexible flat cable having a plurality of wires, one end of the flexible flat cable being fixed to the fixed member and another end thereof being fixed to the rotating member, wherein a first connector housing attached to the fixed member accommodates a plurality of electrically conductive paths that respectively connect a plurality of first terminals to the plurality of wires at said one end of the flexible flat cable, and at least one of the plurality of electrically conductive paths is configured to removably receive a protection device so as to protect the path from overcurrent.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2018Publication date: May 2, 2019Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA, Kenji HIROKI, Masashi KANAZAWA
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Patent number: 10199786Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary connector device that enables relative rotation between the rotator and the stator to be easily and reliably fixed at a neutral position even when a steering device is disengaged. A rotary connector device (1) according to the present invention is provided with: a self-rotation pin (50) that is self-rotatable with respect to a sleeve (30) and that is provided with a pin-side notch (521) that restricts the self-rotation by coming into contact with an inner circumferential surface of a stator-side inner-circumferential cylindrical portion (23); a stationary-side gear (231) and a self-rotation-side gear (511) that transmit the relative rotation and the self-rotation in an interlocked manner; and a stationary-side switching mechanism (40) and a pin protrusion (52) that switch, in a neutral position, the self-rotation pin (50) from a released state to a restricted state.Type: GrantFiled: July 6, 2018Date of Patent: February 5, 2019Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Rodrigo Kendy Yamashita, Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Masatoshi Ushiyama, Tomoki Kawamura
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Publication number: 20180354544Abstract: A steering column structure includes a rotary connector, a steering column cover, and a steering lower cover attached with a gap defined between the steering lower cover and the steering column cover. The steering column cover includes a first side wall portion defining the gap, and a first insertion hole that is disposed in the first side wall portion and into which the rotary connector is inserted. The steering lower cover includes a second side wall portion facing the first side wall portion and defining the gap together with the first side wall portion, and a second insertion hole that is disposed in the second side wall portion and into which the rotary connector is inserted. The first side wall portion includes a first dam portion disposed in a position corresponding to the rotary connector above the rotary connector.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Hirofumi UTSUNOMIYA, Masatoshi USHIYAMA
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Publication number: 20180316149Abstract: The present invention provides a rotary connector device that enables relative rotation between the rotator and the stator to be easily and reliably fixed at a neutral position even when a steering device is disengaged. A rotary connector device (1) according to the present invention is provided with: a self-rotation pin (50) that is self-rotatable with respect to a sleeve (30) and that is provided with a pin-side notch (521) that restricts the self-rotation by coming into contact with an inner circumferential surface of a stator-side inner-circumferential cylindrical portion (23); a stationary-side gear (231) and a self-rotation-side gear (511) that transmit the relative rotation and the self-rotation in an interlocked manner; and a stationary-side switching mechanism (40) and a pin protrusion (52) that switch, in a neutral position, the self-rotation pin (50) from a released state to a restricted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Applicants: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS INC.Inventors: Rodrigo Kendy YAMASHITA, Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Masatoshi Ushiyama, Tomoki Kawamura
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Publication number: 20180306497Abstract: A nitrogen production system that can produce high purity nitrogen containing a desired concentration of oxygen and ultrahigh purity nitrogen containing a desired concentration of argon in a single rectifying column while restraining increase in electric power consumption, and a production process thereof are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 19, 2018Publication date: October 25, 2018Applicant: L' Air Liquide, Societe Anonyme pour I' Etude et I'Exploitation des Procedes Georges ClaudeInventors: Kenji HIROSE, Hirofumi Utsunomiya, Daisuke Nagata, Yasuharu Nishi, Shinji Tomita