Patents by Inventor Masaki Shitara

Masaki Shitara 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: 11247598
    Abstract: A vehicle cabin structure includes a vehicle cabin and a handrail having an inverted U-shape and including an upper portion extending in a width direction of a vehicle along a ceiling surface of the vehicle cabin, and right and left vertical portions connected to both ends of the upper portion and extending downward along right and left side surfaces of the vehicle cabin from the respective ends of the upper portion, in which the right and left vertical portions of the handrail are fixed to the right and left side surfaces of the vehicle cabin, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Patent number: 11230211
    Abstract: A hanging strap for a vehicle includes: a leather belt having a loop shape, that is hung from a support provided near a ceiling in a vehicle cabin; and a hand grip member that is supported on the leather belt and that has a grip portion gripped by a standing passenger. The hand grip member is placed at an inner circumferential side of the leather belt. An outer surface of the grip portion is fixed to an inner surface of the leather belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Patent number: 11214312
    Abstract: Either a front pillar, which is disposed on a front side of a vehicle and extends along a vertical direction, or a rear pillar, which is disposed on a rear side of the vehicle and extends along the vertical direction, includes a first frame, and a second frame which is disposed rearward of the first frame, and top portions of the first frame and the second frame extend along a longitudinal direction to constitute frames of a roof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Hattori, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara
  • Patent number: 11160152
    Abstract: Upper lamps each having an upward-convex semicircular shape, and lower lamps each having a downward-convex semicircular shape are placed on left and right sides in a lower part of a front face of a vehicle. In conjunction, the upper lamps and respective lower lamps constitute annular lamps. The upper lamps and respective lower lamps can be illuminated independently of each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Ryo Hattori, Ken Iwasaki, Yuma Hoshino
  • Patent number: 11091101
    Abstract: A vehicle capable of drive assist or automatic driving, comprises: a first sensor disposed intermediately in a vehicle width direction on at least one of front and rear surfaces of the vehicle and detecting an object therearound; bulging parts disposed on both sides of the at least one surface in the vehicle width direction and made up of a body bulging at least outward in a vehicle longitudinal direction; a connection surface that connects an outside surface in the vehicle width direction and an outside surface in the vehicle longitudinal direction of each of the bulging parts and that is an inclined surface or a round surface; and a second sensor arranged on the connection surface and detecting an object therearound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20210103279
    Abstract: A touch panel of an automatic driving vehicle includes a SLOW DOWN button. An operator is able to operate the SLOW DOWN button while the vehicle is running in the automatic driving mode to apply different deceleration controls using a first operation, or a long press, and a second operation, or a short press. For example, when a long press is applied, the automatic driving vehicle completes deceleration at time t4, or a time immediately after time t3 at which the long press operation is completed. In contrast, when a short press is applied, the automatic driving vehicle completes deceleration after the elapse of a relatively long period after completion of the short press.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2020
    Publication date: April 8, 2021
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirohito IDE, Yuchi YAMANOUCHI, Masaki SHITARA, Ryo HATTORI
  • Publication number: 20210016670
    Abstract: An exterior structure of a vehicle includes a charging port for external charging and a sensor unit for automated driving. The sensor unit is provided on at least one surface of a front surface, a back surface, and a side surface of the vehicle, and is provided to protrude outside the vehicle from the surface. The charging port is provided below the sensor unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20210016703
    Abstract: A sensor lamp unit is attached to an automatic drive vehicle. The sensor lamp unit includes a turn lamp portion in which a turn lamp is built in, a lidar portion in which a lidar which is an active type sensor device is built in, and a camera portion in which a camera which is a passive type sensor device is built in. The turn lamp portion, the lidar portion, and the camera portion are aligned in an up-and-down direction. The sensor lamp unit is attached on left and right side walls of the automatic drive vehicle, in an outward orientation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 15, 2020
    Publication date: January 21, 2021
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406751
    Abstract: An automatic driving vehicle includes a touch panel that displays various buttons. An operator can input a drive control instruction in relation to the automatic driving vehicle, with the buttons displayed on the touch panel. In addition to the touch panel, the automatic driving vehicle includes a mechanical door switch for opening and closing an automatic door and a mechanical ramp switch for extending and retracting an automatic ramp, both being disposed spaced apart from the touch panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirohito IDE, Yuchi YAMANOUCHI, Masaki SHITARA, Ryo HATTORI
  • Publication number: 20200406930
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle is provided with a touch panel that enables an operator to input vehicle speed control instructions during an automatic driving mode and a mechanical operation unit for inputting driving control instructions. When the driving mode of the autonomous vehicle is the automatic driving mode or a semi-automatic driving mode, a driving control unit of the autonomous vehicle prioritizes a vehicle speed control instruction input from the touch panel over a vehicle speed control instruction input from the mechanical operation unit and executes vehicle speed control for the autonomous vehicle based on the prioritized instruction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirohito IDE, Yuchi YAMANOUCHI, Masaki SHITARA, Ryo HATTORI
  • Publication number: 20200406979
    Abstract: A division bar that extends in a vehicle width direction and divides at least one of a vehicle front windshield and a vehicle rear windshield into an upper windshield and a lower windshield is included, and cameras and are arranged on the division bar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406802
    Abstract: A vehicle cabin structure includes a pillar constituting a framework of a vehicle cabin, and a pillar trim which is an interior member arranged with a clearance from a vehicle cabin inside facing surface of the pillar and covering the vehicle cabin inside facing surface of the pillar. The pillar trim has, in its surface facing toward inside of the vehicle cabin, a slit extending along the pillar.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Shingo Maeda, Takeshi Go, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406913
    Abstract: When an emergency stop switch is operated, a brake device brakes an automatic driving vehicle with a predetermined braking force after elapse of a predetermined time from a time at which the emergency stop switch is operated, based on a predetermined time and a predetermined braking force preset for a brake actuator. When a deceleration button is operated, the brake device brakes the automatic driving vehicle with the same braking force as the predetermined braking force after elapse of the same time as the predetermined time from a time at which the deceleration button is operated, based on a braking instruction from an ECU.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406980
    Abstract: Either a front pillar, which is disposed on a front side of a vehicle and extends along a vertical direction, or a rear pillar, which is disposed on a rear side of the vehicle and extends along the vertical direction, includes a first frame, and a second frame which is disposed rearward of the first frame, and top portions of the first frame and the second frame extend along a longitudinal direction to constitute frames of a roof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Ryo Hattori, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara
  • Publication number: 20200413519
    Abstract: Upper lamps each having an upward-convex semicircular shape, and lower lamps each having a downward-convex semicircular shape are placed on left and right sides in a lower part of a front face of a vehicle. In conjunction, the upper lamps and respective lower lamps constitute annular lamps. The upper lamps and respective lower lamps can be illuminated independently of each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yasukazu Honda, Ryo Hattori, Ken Iwasaki, Yuma Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20200406931
    Abstract: A driving control device receives power supply from an accessory battery to operate, controls automatic driving, and outputs a control signal. A steering ECU, a power ECU and a brake ECU instruct a steering mechanism, a PCU and a brake to operate based on the control signal, respectively. An emergency stop switch is operated by an operator. In a case where the emergency stop switch is operated, an interface processing device cuts off a switch to stop the power supply, shuts down the driving control device, and outputs a control signal that causes the steering mechanism, the PCU and the brake to perform an emergency stop operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirohito IDE, Yuchi YAMANOUCHI, Masaki SHITARA, Ryo HATTORI, Satoshi KOGANEMARU, Takeshi URAKI, Shogo NAKATA, Yasunori IMADA
  • Publication number: 20200406801
    Abstract: A hanging strap for a vehicle includes: a leather belt having a loop shape, that is hung from a support provided near a ceiling in a vehicle cabin; and a hand grip member that is supported on the leather belt and that has a grip portion gripped by a standing passenger. The hand grip member is placed at an inner circumferential side of the leather belt. An outer surface of the grip portion is fixed to an inner surface of the leather belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406932
    Abstract: An automatic driving vehicle includes a mechanical emergency stop button for operation by an operator. When the operator presses the emergency stop button while the automatic driving vehicle is running in an automatic driving mode, the automatic driving vehicle stops running. The automatic driving vehicle has a touch panel for operation by the operator, the touch panel being provided forward of the emergency stop button. When the operator presses a SLOW DOWN button while the automatic driving mode is running in the automatic driving mode, the automatic driving vehicle decelerates and thereafter continues running.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406793
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is fixed to a B pillar disposed in front of a door provided on a side surface of a vehicle, and constructed to be foldable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Yuchi Yamanouchi, Masaki Shitara, Ryo Hattori
  • Publication number: 20200406759
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a roof that is elongated in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. Two solar panels are arranged on the roof along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle such that they are spaced from each other longitudinally. A lidar transmitter-receiver is disposed between the two solar panels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Masaki Shitara, Yuchi Yamanouchi, Ryo Hattori