Patents by Inventor Hirokazu Shamoto

Hirokazu Shamoto 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: 7250693
    Abstract: A steering wheel lock apparatus having high reliability. The steering wheel lock apparatus (1) includes a lock pin (21), which engages a steering wheel (5), a motor (23), which moves the lock pin, and a control circuit (31), which controls the motor. The control circuit includes a power supply line (72b), which provides locking current to the motor for locking the steering wheel. A breaker circuit (61) selectively breaks the power supply line when a user operates an ignition switch knob (81) to start the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Patent number: 7145264
    Abstract: An electronic automobile anti-theft apparatus having high reliability includes a motor, which moves a lock pin to lock a steering shaft of an automobile. A solenoid maintains the lock pin in a state released from the steering shaft and operates to permit the lock pin to lock the steering shaft by receiving power. An ECU controls the operations of the motor and the solenoid. A mechanical switch stops supplying the solenoid with power to prevent unintentional locking by the lock pin when the automobile is being driven or when driving of the automobile is enabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nagae, Masaki Yoshino, Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Shoichi Harada, Shinji Kishida, Koji Iwamoto, Toshio Asahi
  • Patent number: 7049931
    Abstract: A steering wheel locking apparatus having high reliability. A steering lock apparatus (1) includes a lock pin (21) engaged with a steering wheel (5), a motor (23) for moving the lock pin, and an ECU (31) for controlling the motor. A switch (61) is arranged in a first power supply line (81) for supplying the motor with current. When supplying an electrical component with current, the switch breaks the first power supply line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Patent number: 6862907
    Abstract: An electronic steering wheel lock apparatus having high reliability. The electronic steering wheel lock apparatus (11) includes a lock pin (12) for locking a steering shaft (21). The lock pin (12) is moved by a motor or a plate cam (41). When an engine is activated and the steering shaft is unlocked, a solenoid (31) is engaged with the plate cam (41) to restrict the movement of the plate cam (41).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Patent number: 6756698
    Abstract: When a key is rotated, it is moved in order of an ON position, an R position, an N position and a D position so that the range of an automatic transmission is switched. Moreover, when the key 13 is pressed in the ON position and the N position, it is moved to a START position so that power is applied to a starter. In this case, it is possible to carry out an operation for starting an engine and an operation for switching the range of the automatic transmission by manipulating the same key in a different direction. Therefore, the operation for starting an engine and the operation for switching the range of the automatic transmission can be carried out easily.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Noriyasu Shamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20040050120
    Abstract: An electronic steering wheel lock apparatus having high reliability. The electronic steering wheel lock apparatus (11) includes a lock pin (12) for locking a steering shaft (21). The lock pin (12) is moved by a motor or a plate cam (41). When an engine is activated and the steering shaft is unlocked, a solenoid (31) is engaged with the plate cam (41) to restrict the movement of the plate cam (41).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Publication number: 20040046453
    Abstract: A steering wheel lock apparatus having high reliability. The steering wheel lock apparatus (1) includes a lock pin (21), which engages a steering wheel (5), a motor (23), which moves the lock pin, and a control circuit (31), which controls the motor. The control circuit includes a power supply line (72b), which provides locking current to the motor for locking the steering wheel. A breaker circuit (61) selectively breaks the power supply line when a user operates an ignition switch knob (81) to start the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: March 11, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Publication number: 20040027239
    Abstract: A steering wheel locking apparatus having high reliability. A steering lock apparatus (1) includes a lock pin (21) engaged with a steering wheel (5), a motor (23) for moving the lock pin, and an ECU (31) for controlling the motor. A switch (61) is arranged in a first power supply line (81) for supplying the motor with current. When supplying an electrical component with current, the switch breaks the first power supply line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Masaki Yoshino, Toshihiro Nagae
  • Patent number: 6629473
    Abstract: The lever body 17 includes a recess (receiver) 66 defined by an upper plate 70 and the projections 65a, 65b, as shown in FIG. 7. A notch 67 is formed in the upper plate 70 (see FIG. 1). The notch 67 permits the first locking piece 61 to move from its retreating position to the operating position in the recess 66. The dimension of the notch 67 in the Y direction (the width of the notch 67) and the dimension of the notch 67 in the notch X direction (the depth of the notch 67) are both shorter than the corresponding dimensions of the recess 66. The upper plate 70 functions as a prohibiting member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Noriyasu Syamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai
  • Patent number: 6609488
    Abstract: A vehicle engine starting apparatus that allows a driver to start an engine easily. The apparatus has a plurality of operation modes. The apparatus includes a starter motor, an ignition switch, and a control circuit. The ignition switch is pressed to generate an operation signal. The control circuit is connected to the starter motor and the ignition switch. The control circuit changes the current operation mode or activates the starter motor to start the engine depending on the nature of the operation signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nagae, Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Shinji Kishida
  • Patent number: 6547696
    Abstract: A shift device including a key cylinder and a shift lever is disclosed. The key cylinder is located adjacent to the shift lever. The key cylinder receives a key corresponding to the key cylinder. When the key is located at the ON position, the key cylinder generates an engine driving signal to an engine ECU. A stopping mechanism is located between the key cylinder and the shift lever for selectively stopping the movement of the shift lever depending on the selected key position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Noriyasu Syamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20030067216
    Abstract: An electronic automobile anti-theft apparatus having high reliability includes a motor, which moves a lock pin to lock a steering shaft of an automobile. A solenoid maintains the lock pin in a state released from the steering shaft and operates to permit the lock pin to lock the steering shaft by receiving power. An ECU controls the operations of the motor and the solenoid. A mechanical switch stops supplying the solenoid with power to prevent unintentional locking by the lock pin when the automobile is being driven or when driving of the automobile is enabled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2002
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nagae, Masaki Yoshino, Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Shoichi Harada, Shinji Kishida, Koji Iwamoto, Toshio Asahi
  • Publication number: 20020112689
    Abstract: A vehicle engine starting apparatus that allows a driver to start an engine easily. The apparatus has a plurality of operation modes. The apparatus includes a starter motor, an ignition switch, and a control circuit. The ignition switch is pressed to generate an operation signal. The control circuit is connected to the starter motor and the ignition switch, The control circuit changes the current operation mode or activates the starter motor to start the engine depending on the nature of the operation signal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Inventors: Toshihiro Nagae, Masaki Hayashi, Hirokazu Shamoto, Shinji Kishida
  • Publication number: 20020011128
    Abstract: A shift device (10) including a shift position detecting sensor (28), a user identifying device (78) and a shift detection preventing device (73,76) is disclosed. The shift position detecting sensor detects a shift position of the shift lever and generates a shift position signal corresponding to the detected shift position. The user identifying device identifies a user of the shift device. If the user identifying device cannot identify the user, the shift detection preventing device prevents the shift position detecting sensor from detecting the shift position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Inventors: Noriyasu Syamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20020002849
    Abstract: A shift device including a key cylinder and a shift lever is disclosed. The key cylinder is located adjacent to the shift lever. The key cylinder receives a key corresponding to the key cylinder. When the key is located at the ON position, the key cylinder generates an engine driving signal to an engine ECU. A stopping mechanism is located between the key cylinder and the shift lever for selectively stopping the movement of the shift lever depending on the selected key position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 10, 2002
    Inventors: Noriyasu Syamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai
  • Publication number: 20010048246
    Abstract: When a key is rotated, it is moved in order of an ON position, an R position, an N position and a D position so that the range of an automatic transmission is switched. Moreover, when the key 13 is pressed in the ON position and the N position, it is moved to a START position so that power is applied to a starter. In this case, it is possible to carry out an operation for starting an engine and an operation for switching the range of the automatic transmission by manipulating the same key in a different direction. Therefore, the operation for starting an engine and the operation for switching the range of the automatic transmission can be carried out easily.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2001
    Publication date: December 6, 2001
    Inventors: Noriyasu Shamoto, Norihito Saito, Hirokazu Shamoto, Katsushi Nagashima, Yutaka Suzuki, Masashi Sakurai