Patents by Inventor Hiromitsu Ichikawa

Hiromitsu Ichikawa 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: 20170188767
    Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner includes a main body case, driving wheels, and a cleaning portion. The main body case includes an electric blower, and a dust collecting portion communicating with a suction side of the electric blower. The driving wheels allow the main body case to travel on the surface to be cleaned. The cleaning portion includes a main body portion, the suction port, and wheels. The main body portion with a bottom surface portion facing the surface to be cleaned is located in a lower portion of the main body case and can move up and down. The suction port is provided on the bottom surface portion and communicates with the dust collecting portion. The wheels protrude downward from the bottom surface portion to contact the surface to be cleaned, thereby causing the main body portion to move up and down to trace the surface to be cleaned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 6, 2017
    Applicant: TOSHIBA LIFESTLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Masatoshi TANAKA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Hiromitsu MURATA, Yukio MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170181591
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes link mechanisms that connect a bumper to be movable in a relatively horizontal direction with respect to a case main body. A coil spring energizes the bumper in a direction separated from the case main body. Obstacle sensors are arranged at positions facing the bumper in the case main body, and detect an obstacle by detecting movement of the bumper, due to contact with the obstacle, in at least one of a direction opposite to an energizing direction of the coil spring and a direction crossing such a direction. A controller controls the drive of a driving wheel based on detection of the obstacle by the obstacle sensor to allow the main body case to travel autonomously. The vacuum cleaner can detect an obstacle brought into contact with the bumper in a wide range with a simple configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: Toshiba Lifestyle Products & Services Corporation
    Inventors: Masatoshi TANAKA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Hiromitsu MURATA, Yukio MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170181593
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a main casing, driving wheels, side brushes, an obstacle sensor, and a controller. The driving wheels enable the main casing to travel. The side brushes are reciprocatively movable in both a direction of protruding from an outer frame of the main casing and its opposite direction, enabling cleaning of dust and dirt located outside the outer frame of the main casing. The obstacle sensor detects an obstacle by detecting a movement of the side brush in the opposite direction due to its contact with the obstacle. The controller controls drive of the driving wheels based on detection of an obstacle by the obstacle sensor to make the main casing autonomously travel. The vacuum cleaner can detect an obstacle at a position of a side brush while securely cleaning dust and dirt located outside an outer frame of a main casing by the side brush.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Applicant: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Masatoshi TANAKA, Hiromitsu MURATA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Yukio MACHIDA
  • Publication number: 20170150861
    Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner in which a dust container inside an autonomous robotic vacuum cleaning unit can be fluidically connected to a station using propulsive force of the cleaning unit moving to a dust discharge position. The cleaning unit includes a body case, and a primary dust container including: a container body accumulating dust collected by the cleaning unit; a disposal port discharging dust from inside the container body; and a disposal lid opening and closing the disposal port. The station includes a dust transfer pipe connected to the disposal port of the primary dust container; a lever hooked by the disposal lid while the cleaning unit is homing, opening the disposal lid and connecting the disposal port and the dust transfer pipe; and a secondary dust container in which dust discharged from the primary dust container through the dust transfer pipe is accumulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi TANAKA, Yukio MACHIDA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Yuji OHTSUKA, Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Hiromitsu MURATA
  • Publication number: 20170150862
    Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner, including a cleaning unit includes a body case including a dust container opening, and a primary dust container including: a container body detachably provided to the body case accumulating dust collected by the cleaning unit; a connecting part exposed from or facing the dust container opening, when attached to the body case; a disposal port provided in the connecting part, for discharging dust from inside the container body; and a disposal lid opening and closing the disposal port. The station includes a dust transfer pipe contacting the connecting part of the primary dust container and connected to the disposal port, and a secondary dust container in which dust discharged from the primary dust container through the dust transfer pipe is accumulated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yukio MACHIDA, Masatoshi TANAKA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Yuji OHTSUKA, Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Hiromitsu MURATA
  • Publication number: 20170049289
    Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes: a body case having an outer circumferential surface formed along either a circular arc or a polygon; a drive wheel allowing travel of the body case on a cleaning target surface; a side brush provided to the body case to be movable in a certain direction. The side brush: projects from the outer circumferential surface of the body case by an amount that changes in response to movement; includes a brush body movable to retreat toward the outer circumferential surface of the body case in response to external force acting in a direction crossing the certain direction; and includes a cleaning unit rotatably provided to the brush body. The cleaning unit rotates to clean the cleaning target surface. The side brush projecting from an outer circumferential surface of a body case can retreat readily and reliably when the side brush contacts an obstacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Applicant: TOSHIBA LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS & SERVICES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Masatoshi TANAKA, Atsushi MORISHITA, Yukio MACHIDA, Hiromitsu MURATA
  • Patent number: 7969292
    Abstract: A tire pressure measuring apparatus provides a warning of an error of a tire air pressure measuring module only when it is not that determined a vehicle stops and also any on of receivers has not received an air pressure data signal for an error determining duration. Therefore, a probability of a false warning can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Toshihiro Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7696902
    Abstract: A tire sensor device comprising sensor modules 20A to 20D, each comprising a sensor, a communication module having a communication function and a power regenerating circuit, and an antenna; and a base station comprising an internal communication device for communication with the sensor modules 20A to 20D, an information processing device for processing tire information signals from the sensor modules, an external communication device for communicating with a car control device 40 on the car body side and a power source. The sensor modules 20A to 20D and the base station 30 are arranged in the tire and constitute an intra-tire LAN. Tire information signals transmitted from the sensor modules 20A to 20D are processed by the base station 30 and transmitted to the car control device 40 so that appropriate tire information can be obtained and the size and power consumption of the sensor device can be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Bridgestone
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu, Masaharu Oku, Masanobu Toyofuku
  • Publication number: 20100066522
    Abstract: A tire pressure measuring apparatus provides a warning of an error of a tire air pressure measuring module only when it is not that determined a vehicle stops and also any on of receivers has not received an air pressure data signal for an error determining duration. Therefore, a probability of a false warning can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: March 18, 2010
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu ICHIKAWA, Toshihiro MIYAZAKI
  • Patent number: 7668695
    Abstract: The present invention includes a sensor malfunction determination unit 207 detects the pressure value corresponding to a signal outputted by a pressure sensor 101 capable of measuring the internal pressure of a pneumatic tire 10. When the detected pressure value is decreasing along the time axis, the sensor malfunction determination unit 207 determines that the pressure sensor 101 is not malfunctioning.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
  • Patent number: 7577532
    Abstract: A tire wear detection system includes a detection unit (70) which detects acceleration applied to a wear bar (40) arranged in a groove of a tread section of a pneumatic tire (10), and a wear judgment unit (82) which judges that a tire has been worn based on the acceleration detected by the detection unit (70).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada
  • Publication number: 20080255805
    Abstract: The present invention includes a sensor malfunction determination unit 207 detects the pressure value corresponding to a signal outputted by a pressure sensor 101 capable of measuring the internal pressure of a pneumatic tire 10. When the detected pressure value is decreasing along the time axis, the sensor malfunction determination unit 207 determines that the pressure sensor 101 is not malfunctioning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2006
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Applicant: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
  • Patent number: 7325448
    Abstract: A pneumatic-tire-use electronic-device fixing system according to the present invention includes: an electronic-device housing apparatus 30, which houses the electronic device, and which includes an engaging convex portion 32 that is convex; and an electronic-device housing apparatus support 12, which is provided on an inner surface of the pneumatic tire, and which includes an engaging concave portion that is concave. First pullout suppression means which suppresses pullout of the engaging convex portion from the engaging concave portion is provided on at least a part of a surface of the engaging convex portion, and second pullout suppression means which engages with the first pullout suppression means is provided on at least a part of a surface of the engaging concave portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2008
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
  • Publication number: 20080027658
    Abstract: A tire wear detection system includes a detection unit (70) which detects acceleration applied to a wear bar (40) arranged in a groove of a tread section of a pneumatic tire (10), and a wear judgment unit (82) which judges that a tire has been worn based on the acceleration detected by the detection unit (70).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: January 31, 2008
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada
  • Publication number: 20070169865
    Abstract: A pneumatic-tire-use electronic-device fixing system according to the present invention includes: an electronic-device housing apparatus 30, which houses the electronic device, and which includes an engaging convex portion 32 that is convex; and an electronic-device housing apparatus support 12, which is provided on an inner surface of the pneumatic tire, and which includes an engaging concave portion that is concave. First pullout suppression means which suppresses pullout of the engaging convex portion from the engaging concave portion is provided on at least a part of a surface of the engaging convex portion, and second pullout suppression means which engages with the first pullout suppression means is provided on at least a part of a surface of the engaging concave portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2005
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
  • Publication number: 20070158436
    Abstract: An RFID tag-incorporating bar code label having sufficiently high durability even when the label is attached to a tire and capable of reliable communication with a reader. A dipole antenna type RFID tag 14 is interposed and fixed between a first sheet member 11 whose front surface is printed with a bar code 13 and a second sheet member 12 having an adhesive layer formed on the rear surface, thus fabricating an RFID tag-incorporating bar code label 10 having an RFID tag buried in the central portion of a bar code sheet 17. The label 10 is bonded to a tire. Therefore, the position of the RFID tag 14 can be easily specified. Due to the existence of the second sheet member 12, the RFID tag 14 can be spaced apart from a rubber member and a steel product constituting the tire by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Publication date: July 12, 2007
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu
  • Publication number: 20070080795
    Abstract: A tire sensor device comprising sensor modules 20A to 20D, each comprising a sensor, a communication module having a communication function and a power regenerating circuit, and an antenna; and a base station comprising an internal communication device for communication with the sensor modules 20A to 20D, an information processing device for processing tire information signals from the sensor modules, an external communication device for communicating with a car control device 40 on the car body side and a power source. The sensor modules 20A to 20D and the base station 30 are arranged in the tire and constitute an intra-tire LAN. Tire information signals transmitted from the sensor modules 20A to 20D are processed by the base station 30 and transmitted to the car control device 40 so that appropriate tire information can be obtained and the size and power consumption of the sensor device can be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2004
    Publication date: April 12, 2007
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA BRIDGESTONE
    Inventors: Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Hiromasa Hada, Takao Kokubu, Masaharu Oku, Masanobu Toyofuku
  • Patent number: 6517500
    Abstract: A chair-type massager is provided which includes a chair body for use as a support member for supporting a user's body and a massage apparatus located in a seat back of the chair body. The massage apparatus includes a base member and a pair of massage units, right and left, provided on the base member. Each massage unit has a movable element. The movable element is provided with a tilt member. A treatment member is attached to the tilt member. The tilt member is driven by means of an airbag. The movable element is rotated around a shaft by means of a motor so that the treatment member can move along a curved surface of the user's body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2003
    Assignee: Toshiba Tech Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20010004679
    Abstract: A chair-type massager comprises a chair body for use as a support member for supporting a user's body and a massage apparatus located in a seat back of the chair body. The massage apparatus includes a base member and a pair of massage units, right and left, provided on the base member. Each massage unit has a movable element. The movable element is provided with a tilt member. A treatment member is attached to the tilt member. The tilt member is driven by means of an airbag. The movable element is rotated around a shaft by means of a motor so that the treatment member can move along a curved surface of the user's body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Inventor: Hiromitsu Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 5848982
    Abstract: A lounger-type air manager comprises a lounger body (1) including a seat portion (2) and a backrest portion (3) provided on the rear end of the seat portion, bags (4, 5, 10) provided in the seat portion and the backrest portion and adapted to inflate and deflate when compressed air is fed thereinto and discharged therefrom, and a compressed air control device (11) for controlling the feed and discharge of the compressed air into and from the bags. The bag in the seat portion is fixed at its rear edge portion on the backrest side to the seat portion, and the bag in the backrest portion is fixed at its upper end portion to the backrest portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 1996
    Date of Patent: December 15, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TEC
    Inventors: Shoji Hoshino, Koichi Abe, Mikio Mochida, Hiromitsu Ichikawa, Katumi Inaba