Patents by Inventor Koichiro Tokuwa

Koichiro Tokuwa 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: 6241540
    Abstract: A lever type connector is provided to prevent a lever from being inadvertently released. The lever type connector 1 is provided with a connector housing 8 and a lever 7 rotatably assembled with the connector housing 8. A locking portion 18 projects on the upper surface of the connector housing 8, and a lock claw 26 is provided in a recess 31 formed in the lever 7. When the lever 7 is rotated in such a direction as to cover the upper surface of the connector housing 8, the lock claw 26 and the locking portion 18 are engaged, thereby preventing any further rotation of the lever 7. At this time, an error disengagement restricting portion 28 projecting backward of the connector housing 8 prevents the lock claw 26 and the locking portion 18 from being inadvertently disengaged from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tokuwa
  • Patent number: 6161283
    Abstract: A connector is provided to make terminal fittings unlikely to be struck against external matter. The connector is for use with a circuit board in which terminal fittings are bent downward after being pulled backward of a connector housing 1 so as to be connectable with a circuit board 5, protection walls including an upper protection wall 10 extend behind the connector housing 1 to surround the terminal fittings 2 lest the terminal fittings 2 should project. Thus, the protection walls prevent the terminal fittings 2 from being directly struck by an external matter. Furthermore the invention relates to an improved method for producing a connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ldt.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tokuwa
  • Patent number: 6089909
    Abstract: A connector is provided for mounting to a panel without any shake regardless of the thickness of the panel. The connector includes a housing 1 is held in its oblique position and a fixed first lock groove 10 at the upper side of the housing 1 is engaged with an upper side edge of a mount hole 5 formed in a panel. Thereafter, the housing 1 is rotated to its horizontal position, and a movable second lock groove 16 at the lower side of the housing 1 is engaged with a lower side edge of the mount hole 5 while an elastic portion 12 is elastically deformed. In this way, the housing 1 is mounted on the panel. At the respective lock grooves 10, 16, elastic pushing portions 18, 20 obliquely project from a jaw portion 7 which forms one side surface of each of the lock grooves 10, 16.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tokuwa
  • Patent number: 6068494
    Abstract: A connector is provided to make terminal fittings unlikely to be struck against external matter. The connector is for use with a circuit board in which terminal fittings are bent downward after being pulled backward of a connector housing 1 so as to be connectable with a circuit board 5, protection walls including an upper protection wall 10 extend behind the connector housing 1 to surround the terminal fittings 2 lest the terminal fittings 2 should project. Thus, the protection walls prevent the terminal fittings 2 from being directly struck by an external matter. Furthermore the invention relates to an improved method for producing a connector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichiro Tokuwa
  • Patent number: 6053651
    Abstract: A connector, particularly designed for attachment to an automobile door having an opening therein, including a hood passing through the opening when the device is installed. The hood carries, on one surface, a lock piece with an engagement projection and its distal end. Since the entire connector is molded of resin, contact with the perimeter of the opening in the door can scratch the sloped surface of the engagement projection and hinder its insertion. There is provided a metal cover fitting over a sloped surface of the lock piece so that, when the connector is inserted, there is only metal to metal contact between the perimeter of the opening and the cover of the slope surface. In this way, even if there is flash around the perimeter, the connector can be smoothly and readily attached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Tokuwa, Mitsuru Ito
  • Patent number: 6012930
    Abstract: A connector is provided to prevent the deformation of base end portions of L-shaped lead terminals. The connector has a restricting projection 13 projects on the rear surface of the connector housing 10 so as to surround substantially the half of a base end portion 24U of each lead terminal 20U near a connector housing 10. Accordingly, even if an external bending force acts on the base end portions 24U, the deformation of the base end portion 24U is prevented by the restricting projection 13.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2000
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Tokuwa, Kiyofumi Ichida
  • Patent number: 5779500
    Abstract: A hood member 12 of a snap-fit male electrical connector 10 is inserted and retained in a through hole 21 of a panel 20. A locking arm 15, having a resilient retaining claw 16 is provided on the peripheral wall face of the hood member 12. A guard 17 is formed in front of the stopping claw 16, so that even if a female connector 30 is pushed diagonally and makes contact with the guard 17, the locking arm 15 is prevented from being bent downwards, thereby accidentally releasing the connector 10 from the through hole 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichiro Tokuwa, Hitoshi Okumura
  • Patent number: 5679009
    Abstract: A connector for a printed circuit board which minimizes the deformation of the positioning member for aligning terminals. The engaging members are located at the outside of guide surfaces formed on the outer surfaces of the housing of the connector. The spacing between the engaging members is longer than if they were located inwardly of the guide walls projecting from the front surface of the housing. Accordingly, the deformation per unit length of the positioning member is small. Such a small deformation of the positioning member minimizes the misalignment of the holes into which the terminals are to enter. Thus, the terminals can be aligned with great accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 21, 1997
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Okumura, Koichiro Tokuwa, Heiji Kuki
  • Patent number: 5575678
    Abstract: A process of a contact member moving over peaked slanting surfaces. A female connector housing is urged into its proper coupling position if a movable member is pressed in after the female connector housing has been inserted to a predetermined position. Conversely, if the movable member is pressed in when the female connector housing has not yet reached its predetermined position, the female connector housing is pressed out. This eliminates the possibility of partial coupling of the female and male connector housings, as the coupling failure is easily noticeable. It also enables the coupling of the connector with a small force due to the leverage obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hitoshi Okumura, Koichiro Tokuwa