Patents by Inventor Kenichi Niitsuma

Kenichi Niitsuma 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: 11945350
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20230278474
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2023
    Publication date: September 7, 2023
    Inventors: Kensuke MIZOI, Ryuzaburo ABE, Kenichi NIITSUMA, Soichiro TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20230256819
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that detects an alertness level of the driver, urges the driver to be alert, and permits the transition from autonomous driving to manual driving when the driver is alert enough for the manual driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2023
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Jinichi TANABE, Kenichi NIITSUMA, Hidetoshi OZAWA
  • Publication number: 20230249594
    Abstract: A seating posture is stabilized for the shoulders of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat is provided with a seat back configured to support the seated person from the rear. A shoulder support portion of the seat back configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand when air is supplied. When the air cell expands, one end portion of the shoulder support portion on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle seat moves more forward than the other end portion of the shoulder support portion on the inside in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2023
    Publication date: August 10, 2023
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka, Chihiro Muto, Takeshi Ito, Ai Furuta
  • Patent number: 11648859
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11628752
    Abstract: A seating posture is stabilized for the shoulders of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat is provided with a seat back configured to support the seated person from the rear. A shoulder support portion of the seat back configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand when air is supplied. When the air cell expands, one end portion of the shoulder support portion on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle seat moves more forward than the other end portion of the shoulder support portion on the inside in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka, Chihiro Muto, Takeshi Ito, Ai Furuta
  • Patent number: 11590861
    Abstract: To make a rotatable vehicle seat be rotatable in a small space, in a vehicle seat (1) including a seat cushion (7) provided on a floor (2) of a vehicle and a seat back (8) provided on the seat cushion, the seat cushion is provided on the floor so as to be rotatable about a selected one of multiple rotation axes (A) extending substantially vertically. Preferably, a rotation device (4) is provided between the floor and the seat cushion, the rotation device being configured to enable rotation about the selected one of the multiple rotation axes while restricting rotation about any of the remaining rotation axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 11554697
    Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle seat is provided, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction; wherein a protruding portion is formed from a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Misao Omori, Kenichi Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 11407335
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that is rotatable relative to a vehicle body and can prevent a collision between an object located around a seat body and an occupant by airbags. A vehicle seat includes: a seat body (6) supported by a vehicle body (2b) so as to be rotatable around a substantially vertical axis; a pair of airbags (17) provided on either lateral side edge of the seat body and configured to deploy to respective lateral sides of an occupant seated on the seat body; a rotation angle detecting device (15) provided on the seat body and configured to detect a rotation angle of the seat body relative to the vehicle body; and a control device (22) configured to control deploying operation of the respective airbags independently of each other. The deploying operation includes a deploying amount and/or a deploying timing. The control device is configured to individually control the deploying operation of the pair of airbags according to the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detecting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2022
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20220185109
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that detects an alertness level of the driver, urges the driver to be alert, and permits the transition from autonomous driving to manual driving when the driver is alert enough for the manual driving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2022
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 11299044
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that detects an alertness level of the driver, urges the driver to be alert, and permits the transition from autonomous driving to manual driving when the driver is alert enough for the manual driving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TS TECH CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa
  • Publication number: 20210316643
    Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle seat is provided, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction; wherein a protruding portion is formed from a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2021
    Publication date: October 14, 2021
    Inventors: Misao Omori, Kenichi Niitsuma
  • Publication number: 20210309135
    Abstract: A seating posture is stabilized for the shoulders of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat is provided with a seat back configured to support the seated person from the rear. A shoulder support portion of the seat back configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand when air is supplied. When the air cell expands, one end portion of the shoulder support portion on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle seat moves more forward than the other end portion of the shoulder support portion on the inside in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Publication date: October 7, 2021
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka, Chihiro Muto, Takeshi Ito, Ai Furuta
  • Patent number: 11046219
    Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle seat is provided, comprising: providing a seat back frame; forwardly movably connecting a headrest for supporting a head of a seat occupant to the seat back frame; mounting a rear-end collision detector to the seat back frame at a position behind the seat occupant, operatively connecting the rear-end collision detector to the headrest; disposing a link member at a position lateral to the rear-end collision detector; forming a front extending portion that inwardly extends in a right-to-left direction at a front end of a lateral face of the side frame; and forming a rear extending portion that inwardly extends in the right-to-left direction; wherein a protruding portion is formed from a portion of the lateral face of the side frame that faces at least the part of the bracket, the link support shaft being disposed at a same height as the protruding portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2021
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Misao Omori, Kenichi Niitsuma
  • Patent number: 11040644
    Abstract: A seating posture is stabilized for the shoulders of a passenger seated on a vehicle seat. A vehicle seat is provided with a seat back configured to support the seated person from the rear. A shoulder support portion of the seat back configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand when air is supplied. When the air cell expands, one end portion of the shoulder support portion on the outside in the width direction of the vehicle seat moves more forward than the other end portion of the shoulder support portion on the inside in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2021
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka, Chihiro Muto, Takeshi Ito, Ai Furuta
  • Publication number: 20210146814
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20210146804
    Abstract: To make a rotatable vehicle seat be rotatable in a small space, in a vehicle seat (1) including a seat cushion (7) provided on a floor (2) of a vehicle and a seat back (8) provided on the seat cushion, the seat cushion is provided on the floor so as to be rotatable about a selected one of multiple rotation axes (A) extending substantially vertically. Preferably, a rotation device (4) is provided between the floor and the seat cushion, the rotation device being configured to enable rotation about the selected one of the multiple rotation axes while restricting rotation about any of the remaining rotation axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa
  • Patent number: 10899255
    Abstract: Provided is to stabilize a fixed state of each bag body provided at a vehicle seat and configured to expand to push a corresponding one of the shoulders of a seated passenger. Of a seat back provided at the vehicle seat, each shoulder support configured to support a corresponding one of the shoulders of the seated passenger includes an air cell configured to expand by injection of air. The air cell includes protrusions extending in a predetermined direction and provided at respective end portions of the air bag in the extending direction thereof. The air cell is attached to the inside of the seat back in such a manner that each of the protrusions provided at respective end portions in the extending direction is fixed to a corresponding one of fixing positions separated from each other in the width direction of the vehicle seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 26, 2021
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kensuke Mizoi, Ryuzaburo Abe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Soichiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 10787104
    Abstract: A conveyance seat unit lessens a neck load applied to an occupant based on body shape, sex, or the like of the occupant when a rear load acts on a conveyance. The conveyance seat unit includes: a seat having a support portion that supports the occupant from behind; a state adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a state of a neck load adjustment portion, of the support portion, that affects the neck load applied to the occupant when the rear load acts on the conveyance; and an electronic control unit (ECU) that controls the state adjustment mechanism. The ECU acquires occupant information on the body and the sex of the occupant and controls the state adjustment mechanism according to the acquired occupant information to change the state of the neck load adjustment portion, which has been adjusted by the state adjustment mechanism, according to the content of the occupant information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignee: TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kenichi Niitsuma, Naoki Tamura
  • Publication number: 20200215938
    Abstract: Provided is a vehicle seat that is rotatable relative to a vehicle body and can prevent a collision between an object located around a seat body and an occupant by airbags. A vehicle seat includes: a seat body (6) supported by a vehicle body (2b) so as to be rotatable around a substantially vertical axis; a pair of airbags (17) provided on either lateral side edge of the seat body and configured to deploy to respective lateral sides of an occupant seated on the seat body; a rotation angle detecting device (15) provided on the seat body and configured to detect a rotation angle of the seat body relative to the vehicle body; and a control device (22) configured to control deploying operation of the respective airbags independently of each other. The deploying operation includes a deploying amount and/or a deploying timing. The control device is configured to individually control the deploying operation of the pair of airbags according to the rotation angle detected by the rotation angle detecting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2018
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Jinichi Tanabe, Kenichi Niitsuma, Hidetoshi Ozawa