Patents by Inventor Masaru Sakai

Masaru Sakai 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: 11427163
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a window washer configured to clean a front window of a vehicle; a lamp cleaner configured to clean a headlamp; a sensor cleaner configured to clean a sensor that detects information outside the vehicle; and a cleaner control unit configured to operate at least one of the window washer, the lamp cleaner, and the sensor cleaner in accordance with input of a signal. The cleaner control unit is configured to operate the window washer, the lamp cleaner, and the sensor cleaner such that at least two or more of a number of operations of the window washer, a number of operations of the lamp cleaner, and a number of operations of the sensor cleaner are different in accordance with a predetermined number of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Masayuki Kondo, Kazuki Kawamura, Masaru Sakai
  • Publication number: 20220227333
    Abstract: A vehicular air curtain device configured to send continuously, based on an operation signal, air to a sensor or a sensor cover mounted on a vehicle at a predetermined wind speed or a predetermined air flow rate in order to prevent dirt from adhering to the sensor or the sensor cover, the vehicular air curtain device includes: an air blowing mechanism; a motor configured to drive the air blowing mechanism; and an air curtain control unit configured to change a drive voltage or a drive current of the motor in accordance with a predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2020
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaaki SATO, Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Toshihisa HAYAMI
  • Publication number: 20220129863
    Abstract: Visibility of a message transmitted from a maintenance object system is improved. A maintenance person support device 1 includes: a storage device 10 configured to store distribution rule data 11 in which a category of a message received from a processing unit 2 and an action name of an action corresponding to the message are associated with each other, and action definition data 12 in which the action name and a channel corresponding to the category as execution contents of the action are associated with each other; a message transmission/reception unit 21 configured to receive a message from the processing unit 2; an action execution unit 22 configured to acquire the action name corresponding to the category of the message from the distribution rule data 11 and acquire the execution contents corresponding to the acquired action name from the action definition data; and a user interface control unit 23 configured to display the message to the channel specified by the acquired execution contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2020
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Satoshi KONDO, Kensuke TAKAHASHI
  • Publication number: 20220118949
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner (1) includes: a cylinder (2) provided in an opening (101) formed in a part of a vehicle body panel (100) of a vehicle; a piston (3) supported to be movable forward and backward with respect to the cylinder (2); a nozzle holder (10) provided near the front end of the piston (3); a nozzle (4) which is supported by the nozzle holder (10) and which, with the piston (3) protruding from the opening (101), sprays a cleaning liquid onto a vehicle item to be cleaned; and a nozzle cover (20) which is provided on the front end of the nozzle holder (10) and which, with the piston (3) having been pulled back into the cylinder (2), closes the opening (101). The nozzle cover (20) has a cover part (21) for closing the opening (101), and an engagement part (30) that protrudes from the cover part (21) toward the piston (3) and is engaged with the nozzle holder (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicants: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi USAMI, Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220105903
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaning device includes a cylinder to which a cleaning fluid is supplied; a piston slidably inserted in the cylinder; a spray nozzle unit mounted at a leading end of the piston and configured to spray the cleaning fluid toward an object-to-be-cleaned; and a cap that closes a gap between the cylinder and the piston in an opening of the cylinder through which the piston protrudes. The cap includes a tubular part inside the cylinder, and the tubular part defines an end of movement of the piston. A communication hole is provided between a communication groove provided in an outer peripheral surface of the tubular part and an inner peripheral surface of the cylinder, and the gap between the cylinder and the piston communicates with the outside of the cylinder through the communication hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20220105905
    Abstract: A method of assembling a vehicle cleaner nozzle provided in a vicinity of a leading end of a piston accommodated to be movable forward and backward with respect to a cylinder so as to inject a cleaning medium on an object to be cleaned which is mounted on a vehicle includes: assembling a nozzle chip to a housing along a first direction so as to form a feedback flow path for swinging and injecting the cleaning medium by accommodating the nozzle chip in an interior of the housing; and assembling the housing in a state where the housing accommodates the nozzle chip to a holder supported by the piston along the first direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2021
    Publication date: April 7, 2022
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Sakai
  • Patent number: 11230269
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner nozzle injects a cleaning medium on an object to be cleaned which is mounted on a vehicle. The vehicle cleaner nozzle includes a housing, a nozzle chip accommodated in an interior of the housing, and a holder configured to support the housing in a state where the housing accommodates the nozzle chip. A feedback flow path for swinging and injecting the cleaning medium is formed by accommodating the nozzle chip in the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210394204
    Abstract: A vehicle washing device includes: a cylinder including a cylinder tube to which a washing fluid is supplied; a piston including a piston tube that is movably inserted into the cylinder tube and opens at both ends; and a spray nozzle that is mounted at a leading end, in an extension direction, of the piston tube protruding from the cylinder tube. The spray nozzle is configured to spray the washing fluid, supplied through the inside of the piston tube, toward an object-to-be-washed. The outer circumference of the spray nozzle is fitted on the inner circumference of the piston tube.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: December 23, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210362688
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to discharge a cleaning liquid to an external sensor that acquires information outside the vehicle so as to clean the external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. The cleaner control unit is configured to acquire vehicle speed information related to a traveling speed of the vehicle, and control the cleaner unit such that at least one of a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid, a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid per unit time, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid per unit time, and a discharge time of the cleaning liquid varies according to the vehicle speed information.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2019
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki KAWAMURA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaru SAKAI, Masaaki SATO
  • Patent number: 11142139
    Abstract: A vehicle trim structure includes a flange provided at a vehicle trim and configured to contact a counterpart member, wherein an end portion of the flange that is configured to contact the counterpart member is formed from a soft material, and a contact face of the end portion is configured with a circular arc-shaped cross-section profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Masaru Sakai, Kentaro Ahiko, Kimiharu Mishima
  • Patent number: 11097650
    Abstract: An integrated lamp-and-camera module (1) includes: a pair of license plate lamps (10R, 10L) that are disposed in a left-right direction of a license plate (LP) of a vehicle (VE), and apply light to the license plate (LP); a first camera (20) and a second camera (30) that are disposed between the pair of license plate lamps (10R, 10L) to capture an image of a rear side of the vehicle (VE); and a housing (70) to which the respective license plate lamps (10R, 10L), the first rear view camera (20), and the second camera (30) are attached. The housing (70) is attached to a vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kondo, Hikaru Nagai, Masaru Sakai
  • Publication number: 20210179030
    Abstract: The vehicular cleaner system is provided with: a tank (2) for storing a cleaning fluid; a motor pump (3) for pumping out the cleaning fluid in the tank (2); lighting fixture nozzles (4) for spraying the cleaning fluid toward headlamps (100); sensor nozzles (5) for spraying the cleaning fluid toward on-board sensors (200); a cleaning fluid passage (9) that connects the motor pump (3) to the lighting fixture nozzles (4) and the sensor nozzles (5); and a controller (8) for controlling the spraying of the cleaning fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2018
    Publication date: June 17, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20210078544
    Abstract: A vehicular washing device includes: a nozzle (4); a flow passage forming body (2) of which an internal space is a flow passage of a fluid; and a valve (21) that has a pressing tube part (22) with an axial direction coinciding with a flow direction of the fluid, is elastically deformable in a direction in which the diameter of the pressing tube part changes, and opens and closes the flow passage according to the state of deformation. A first flow passage (2a) and a second flow passage (2b) are formed as the flow passage on opposite sides of the pressing tube part. A shaft (9) with which the pressing tube part is capable of coming into close contact is located inside the valve. The valve deforms elastically according to the magnitude of the pressure of the first flow passage or the pressure of the second flow passage relative to an atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2018
    Publication date: March 18, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki KIMURA, Masaru SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20210039670
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system are mounted on an autonomous driving vehicle including a vehicle control unit capable of selectively executing an autonomous driving mode and a manual driving mode. The vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to clean an external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. When the vehicle control unit switches from the manual driving mode to the autonomous driving mode, the vehicle control unit is configured such that, after the cleaner control unit causes the cleaner unit to clean the external sensor or after a diagnosis is performed to ascertain whether or not the external sensor needs to be cleaned, the manual driving mode is switched to the autonomous driving mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2019
    Publication date: February 11, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Kazuki KAWAMURA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaaki SATO
  • Publication number: 20210031727
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes a front LiDAR and a front camera, which are external sensors that acquire information on an outside of a vehicle, a cleaner unit, a front tank that stores the cleaning liquid, and a cleaner control unit that controls the cleaner unit. The cleaner unit includes a front LiDAR cleaner that discharge the cleaning liquid to clean the front LiDAR, and a front camera cleaner that discharges the cleaning liquid to clean the front camera. The cleaner control unit is configured to be capable of outputting a remaining amount insufficiency prediction signal to a vehicle control unit, which controls traveling of the vehicle, when the cleaning liquid in the front tank is equal to or less than a predetermined amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Masaaki SATO, Kazuki KAWAMURA
  • Publication number: 20200406864
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit mounted on a vehicle and configured to clean an external sensor acquiring information on outside of the vehicle; an advanced notification information acquiring unit configured to acquire expressway advanced notification information notifying that the vehicle has arrived within a predetermined distance from an entrance of an expressway; and a cleaner control unit configured to, when the advanced notification information acquiring unit has acquired the expressway advanced notification information, control the cleaner unit to clean the external sensor or diagnose whether or not the external sensor needs to be cleaned by the cleaner unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru SAKAI, Kazuki KAWAMURA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaaki SATO
  • Publication number: 20200247367
    Abstract: This vehicle sensor system includes an on-board sensor (6f) that can be attached to a vehicle via an aiming mechanism (40); and a cleaner (50) that has a nozzle (103) for spraying a cleaning medium onto the vehicle sensor (6f). The nozzle (103) is attached to a component (21) the position of which changes in accordance with vehicle sensor (6f) aiming.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2018
    Publication date: August 6, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20200180567
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system that includes a single pump and a plurality of cleaners which are connected to the single pump and clean different cleaning target objects with a cleaning medium is disclosed. The cleaning target objects include a sensor which detects information on outside of a vehicle and a cleaner control unit which operates the plurality of cleaners in accordance with input of a signal. The cleaner control unit is capable of operating the plurality of cleaners such that cleaning methods of the plurality of cleaners are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Sakai, Masayuki Kondo, Kazuki Kawamura, Akinobu Kubota
  • Patent number: D945565
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Sakai
  • Patent number: D945566
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masaru Sakai