Patents by Inventor Kiyohito Obara

Kiyohito Obara 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: 7401814
    Abstract: Disclosed a structure for supporting a steering device including a steering shaft 9 adapted to transmit a steering force of a steering wheel to road wheels, relative to a vehicle body through an instrument-panel member 6 extending a lateral direction of a vehicle. The support structure comprises a first bracket 20 fixed to the instrument-panel member 6, a steering column 19 rotatably mounting the steering shaft 9, a second bracket 21, 22 fixed to the steering column 19, and coupling means 23, 24 for providing a coupling between the first bracket 20 and the second bracket 21, 22. The coupling means 23, 24 is designed to allow the second bracket 21, 22 to have an axial relative displacement with respect to the first bracket 20 on the basis of an axial direction of the steering shaft 9 while allowing an upward relative displacement of the second bracket 21, 22 with respect to the first bracket 20 in the course of the axial relative displacement, during a vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kanji Yasuhara, Kouki Makino, Hisashi Ogino, Toshihiro Matsuoka, Kiyohito Obara
  • Publication number: 20060186658
    Abstract: Disclosed a structure for supporting a steering device including a steering shaft 9 adapted to transmit a steering force of a steering wheel to road wheels, relative to a vehicle body through an instrument-panel member 6 extending a lateral direction of a vehicle. The support structure comprises a first bracket 20 fixed to the instrument-panel member 6, a steering column 19 rotatably mounting the steering shaft 9, a second bracket 21, 22 fixed to the steering column 19, and coupling means 23, 24 for providing a coupling between the first bracket 20 and the second bracket 21, 22. The coupling means 23, 24 is designed to allow the second bracket 21, 22 to have an axial relative displacement with respect to the first bracket 20 on the basis of an axial direction of the steering shaft 9 while allowing an upward relative displacement of the second bracket 21, 22 with respect to the first bracket 20 in the course of the axial relative displacement, during a vehicle collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2006
    Publication date: August 24, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kanji Yasuhara, Kouki Makino, Hisashi Ogino, Toshihiro Matsuoka, Kiyohito Obara