Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Otaka

Hiroshi Otaka 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: 9944221
    Abstract: A motor causes a shaft of an actuator to be displaced in an axis direction thereof, at least part of a circuit for driving the motor being mounted on a circuit board. A notch is formed in an end edge of the circuit board. A protrusion is formed inside a case. The protrusion is fitted into the notch, whereby the circuit board is independently supported inside the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Iwai, Hiroshi Otaka, Takayuki Kato
  • Publication number: 20170113600
    Abstract: A motor causes a shaft of an actuator to be displaced in an axis direction thereof, at least part of a circuit for driving the motor being mounted on a circuit board. A notch is formed in an end edge of the circuit board. A protrusion is formed inside a case. The protrusion is fitted into the notch, whereby the circuit board is independently supported inside the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi IWAI, Hiroshi OTAKA, Takayuki KATO
  • Patent number: 9573514
    Abstract: A motor causes a shaft of an actuator to be displaced in an axis direction thereof, at least part of a circuit for driving the motor being mounted on a circuit board. A notch is formed in an end edge of the circuit board. A protrusion is formed inside a case. The protrusion is fitted into the notch, whereby the circuit board is independently supported inside the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Katsutoshi Iwai, Hiroshi Otaka, Takayuki Kato
  • Publication number: 20150375671
    Abstract: A motor causes a shaft of an actuator to be displaced in an axis direction thereof, at least part of a circuit for driving the motor being mounted on a circuit board. A notch is formed in an end edge of the circuit board. A protrusion is formed inside a case. The protrusion is fitted into the notch, whereby the circuit board is independently supported inside the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2014
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventors: Katsutoshi IWAI, Hiroshi OTAKA, Takayuki KATO
  • Patent number: 8716935
    Abstract: A light irradiation control system for a vehicle lamp includes a control unit configured to provide control signals for controlling light irradiation of the vehicle lamp based on detection signals detected by sensors. Actuator units are configured to control the light irradiation of the vehicle lamp based on the control signals. The control unit includes a body-side control unit and a lamp-side control unit. The body-side control unit is configured to perform signal processing on the detection signals and to provide the signal-processed signals to a common bus as common data. The lamp-side control unit, which is mounted in at least some of the actuator units, is connected to the common bus to provide the control signals based on the common data provided to the common bus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nakazawa, Toshihiko Kurebayashi, Tomoyuki Sakai, Katsumi Inoue, Hiroshi Otaka
  • Patent number: 8632228
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes: a lamp outer casing; a lamp unit; a stationary frame; a movable frame that is supported by the stationary frame to be rotatable about a first rotating shaft extending in a lateral direction or a second rotating shaft extending in a vertical direction; a lens unit disposed in the lamp outer casing and supported by the movable frame; a first aiming operation shaft that adjusts an optical axis, and a second aiming operation shaft that adjusts the optical axis. A focal point of the light reflected by a reflector is coincident with a center of the first or second rotating shaft. The lens unit is rotated about the first or second rotating shaft such that a distance between the focal point and the projection lens is constant. The heat sink is positioned on the outside of the lamp outer casing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroki Shibata, Masashi Tatsukawa, Hiroshi Otaka
  • Publication number: 20120201039
    Abstract: A vehicle headlamp includes: a lamp outer casing; a lamp unit; a stationary frame; a movable frame that is supported by the stationary frame to be rotatable about a first rotating shaft extending in a lateral direction or a second rotating shaft extending in a vertical direction; a lens unit disposed in the lamp outer casing and supported by the movable frame; a first aiming operation shaft that adjusts an optical axis, and a second aiming operation shaft that adjusts the optical axis. A focal point of the light reflected by a reflector is coincident with a center of the first or second rotating shaft. The lens unit is rotated about the first or second rotating shaft such that a distance between the focal point and the projection lens is constant. The heat sink is positioned on the outside of the lamp outer casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroki SHIBATA, Masashi TATSUKAWA, Hiroshi OTAKA
  • Publication number: 20110133646
    Abstract: A light irradiation control system for a vehicle lamp includes a control unit configured to provide control signals for controlling light irradiation of the vehicle lamp based on detection signals detected by sensors. Actuator units are configured to control the light irradiation of the vehicle lamp based on the control signals. The control unit includes a body-side control unit and a lamp-side control unit. The body-side control unit is configured to perform signal processing on the detection signals and to provide the signal-processed signals to a common bus as common data. The lamp-side control unit, which is mounted in at least some of the actuator units, is connected to the common bus to provide the control signals based on the common data provided to the common bus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2010
    Publication date: June 9, 2011
    Applicant: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi NAKAZAWA, Toshihiko KUREBAYASHI, Tomoyuki SAKAI, Katsumi INOUE, Hiroshi OTAKA
  • Patent number: 7267465
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp including a light blocking moveable shade which is provided to rotate about a rotational axis line that extends in the width direction of a vehicle. The moveable shade is linked to an actuator via a link member and has an outwardly curved upper end edge that extends along the rear focal plane of a projection lens when the moveable shade is in the light shielding or light blocking position. The distance between the rotational axis line and a connection point of the moveable shade and the link member is set to be smaller than the distance between the rotational axis line and the upper end edge of the moveable shade, and the center of gravity of the moveable shade is positioned in the vicinity of the rotational axis line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Katsuhito Mochizuki, Kazuhisa Ashizawa, Hiroshi Otaka, Yuji Sugiyama
  • Publication number: 20060164852
    Abstract: A vehicular headlamp including a light blocking moveable shade which is provided to rotate about a rotational axis line that extends in the width direction of a vehicle. The moveable shade is linked to an actuator via a link member and has an outwardly curved upper end edge that extends along the rear focal plane of a projection lens when the moveable shade is in the light shielding or light blocking position. The distance between the rotational axis line and a connection point of the moveable shade and the link member is set to be smaller than the distance between the rotational axis line and the upper end edge of the moveable shade, and the center of gravity of the moveable shade is positioned in the vicinity of the rotational axis line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2006
    Publication date: July 27, 2006
    Inventors: Katsuhito Mochizuki, Kazuhisa Ashizawa, Hiroshi Otaka, Yuji Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6530175
    Abstract: A window lifting and lowering apparatus that includes an arm pivotally moved to lift and lower a window of a vehicle. A cycloidal speed reducing mechanism is used for transmitting a rotational force of a drive shaft to the arm at a reduced speed. The cycloidal speed reducing mechanism includes a ring gear disposed in a fixed state, a planetary gear eccentrically rotated in a state of being brought into mesh with the ring gear by the rotational force of the drive shaft, a rotating disk for transmitting rotation of the planetary gear to the arm, and a stopper gear fixed to the ring gear for restricting a pivotal movement position of the planetary gear. In accordance with the eccentric pivotal movement of the planetary gear, a stopper pin provided on the planetary gear is made to impinge with a stopper projection provided on the stopper gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Otaka
  • Publication number: 20020104267
    Abstract: A window lifting and lowering apparatus that includes an arm pivotally moved to lift and lower a window of a vehicle. A cycloidal speed reducing mechanism is used for transmitting a rotational force of a drive shaft to the arm at a reduced speed. The cycloidal speed reducing mechanism includes a ring gear disposed in a fixed state, a planetary gear eccentrically rotated in a state of being brought into mesh with the ring gear by the rotational force of the drive shaft, a rotating disk for transmitting rotation of the planetary gear to the arm, and a stopper gear fixed to the ring gear for restricting a pivotal movement position of the planetary gear. In accordance with the eccentric pivotal movement of the planetary gear, a stopper pin provided on the planetary gear is made to impinge with a stopper projection provided on the stopper gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Publication date: August 8, 2002
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Otaka
  • Patent number: 6094868
    Abstract: A handle unit of a manual window apparatus including a base plate 110 that has a brake drum part 111, a handle shaft 120 that penetrates the base plate 110, a brake spring 140 that is mounted inside the brake drum part 111, a spring hanger 160 that is fitted on the handle shaft 120 and that is joined with the handle shaft 120 in a circumferential direction via the brake spring 140, a volute balance spring 170 that is laid over a surface of the base plate 110 in an outer circumferential area of the spring hanger 160 and that is mounted between the spring hanger 160 and the base plate 110, a wire drum 180 that is fitted on the handle shaft 120 so as to form a single body with the spring hanger 160 in a circumferential direction and that is wound around on the circumferential surface thereof with a wire for opening-closing actions of a window glass, and a cover that has a container part 191 that covers the wire drum and that is secured to the base plate 110.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Otaka, Shoichiro Yokoi