Patents by Inventor Motonobu Kitagawa

Motonobu Kitagawa 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: 6502851
    Abstract: A passenger side airbag device is attached to a rear side of an instrument panel having a first attachment member on the rear side. A plate is attached to the rear side of the instrument panel and has a second attachment member at a side opposite to the first attachment member. The airbag device includes a container having first and second side faces facing oppositely, a coupling member disposed on the first side face of the container for coupling the container to the first attachment member of the instrument panel, and a fixing member disposed on the second side face of the container for fixing the container to the second attachment member. The container is fixed to the instrument panel by fixing the fixing member to the plate after coupling the coupling member to the instrument panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2003
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventor: Motonobu Kitagawa
  • Publication number: 20010040365
    Abstract: A passenger-side airbag device is formed of a container having first and second side faces facing oppositely, a coupling member disposed on the first side face of the container for coupling the container to an instrument panel, and a fixing member disposed on the second side face of the container for fixing the container to the instrument panel. The container is fixed to the instrument panel by fixing the fixing member to the instrument panel after coupling the coupling member to the instrument panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2001
    Publication date: November 15, 2001
    Inventor: Motonobu Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5713598
    Abstract: An air bag has, at the rear end thereof, an opening for introducing an inflator or gas supplied from the inflator. At least a part of the air bag is made of an air permeable cloth. The air permeable cloth is constituted by a woven fabric. Warps and wefts of the woven fabric are bound with a resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: February 3, 1998
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuo Morita, Motonobu Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5547218
    Abstract: An air bag consists of a front panel and rear panel. An inflater mounting opening is provided at the central portion of the rear panel. The rear panel and the front panel are connected to each other at a vicinity of the center thereof by threads. The threads allow the air bag to extend sideward at first, and then the threads are chopped so as to allow the air bag to extend forward.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Takayasu Zushi, Motonobu Kitagawa, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Yoshimi Okamoto, Sawayo Uda
  • Patent number: 5437472
    Abstract: An inflator is formed of a container packed with gas generating agents, a device for initiating the gas generating reaction of the gas generating agents, injection holes provided in one surface of the container so as to inject the gas generated in the container to the outside therethrough, a plate provided on the one surface of the container in such a manner as to cover the injection holes, and a connecting device for connecting the plate and the container. The connecting device allows the plate to move away from the one surface of the container by a predetermined distance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 1, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Takayasu Zushi, Motonobu Kitagawa, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Yoshimi Okamoto, Sawayo Uda
  • Patent number: 5431434
    Abstract: A modular cover for an air bag system is formed of a rigid inner layer, a soft outer layer, and a tear line along which the modular cover is torn. The tear line includes a raised portion extending from the inner layer into the outer layer, and a recessed portion formed in the inner surface of the modular cover. The modular cover includes projecitons projecting from the inner layer into the outer layer and located adjacent to the tear line so as to prevent the outer layer from suffering from depressions. The projections are formed in a shape such that the their width decreases from an upstream side to a downstream side along a flow direction of the resin when the outer layer is molded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 11, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Motonobu Kitagawa, Masato Kuretake, Yoshimi Okamoto, Sawayo Uda, Takayasu Zushi
  • Patent number: 5427406
    Abstract: A bag holding member in an air bag device for protecting the occupant of a vehicle has an opening in which a bag inflator is fitted. The inflator has a flange held against the bag holding member around its opening. One of the bag holding member and the flange has a plurality of pins projecting toward the other, and the other has a plurality of slits lying circumferentially of the opening of the bag holding member. Each of the pins is engaged in one of the slits to secure the inflator to the bag holding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Takayasu Zushi, Motonobu Kitagawa, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Masato Kuretake, Yoshimi Yoshida, Sawayo Uda
  • Patent number: 5427405
    Abstract: A retainer used for an air bag device for use in a driver's side of a vehicle includes a main plate portion having an opening for mounting an inflator and mounting members depending from the sides of the main plate portion, wherein the retainer is made of a synthetic resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 27, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Motonobu Kitagawa, Sawayo Uda, Yoshimi Yoshida, Takayasu Zushi
  • Patent number: 5423568
    Abstract: A bag holding member has an opening where the inflator is inserted. The member has a cylindrical wall projecting coaxially with the opening. The inflator extends through the cylindrical wall. The cylindrical wall has slits extending spirally. The inflator has pins projecting from its outer periphery. The pins engage the slits respectively to secure the inflator to the cylindrical wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 13, 1995
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Takayasu Zushi, Motonobu Kitagawa, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Masato Kuretake, Yoshimi Yoshida, Sawayo Uda
  • Patent number: 5364126
    Abstract: An air bag device includes: a retainer having an inflator mounting opening formed in the central portion of its main plate; an inflater having its leading end mounted in the opening of the retainer and formed with a plurality of gas injection ports in its side periphery; an air bag fitted on the retainer and folded such that it can be extended by the gas injected from the inflator; and a module cover covering the air bag and capable of being torn by the air bag when the air bag is extended. The air bag is folded at first in a first direction along the main plate of the retainer and then in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The inflator injects the gas in the second direction, immediately after being activated, and then in the first direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: November 15, 1994
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Motonobu Kitagawa, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Yoshimi Yoshida, Sawayo Uda, Takayasu Zushi
  • Patent number: 5358270
    Abstract: An air bag device for a driver seat is formed of a retainer composed of a main plate portion having an opening for mounting an inflator and mounting pieces extending uprightly from peripheral edges of the main plate portion, an air bag having a rear end connected to the retainer, an inflator mounted on the retainer, and a module cover for covering the air bag, the retainer being made of a synthetic resin, and the rear end of the air bag being secured to the retainer by embedding the rear end in the retainer. In an air bag for a passenger seat, a container for the air bag is made of a synthetic resin to secure the rear end of the air bag to the container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 25, 1994
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Kazuhiko Yamakawa, Motonobu Kitagawa, Sawayo Uda, Yoshimi Yoshida, Takayasu Zushi
  • Patent number: 5324070
    Abstract: An air bag device for a knee of an occupant includes an air bag adapted to be extended in front of a seat of a vehicle including a zone at a height of the seat, a casing which holds the air bag therein in a folded state, and a gas generator mounted on the casing, the casing being located in a position offset to one of the righthand and lefthand sides of the front of the center of the seat, and the air bag having such a volume as to be extended to the other side by the gas generator. An air bag device for a knee of an occupant includes an air bag adapted to be extended in front of a seat of a vehicle including a zone at a height of the seat, the air bag having a shape when it is extended fully, in which its two end sides in the widthwise direction of the seat have projections toward the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Motonobu Kitagawa, Akira Kokeguchi, Misao Kamiyama, Tadayuki Atoh
  • Patent number: 5312131
    Abstract: An air bag device for a knee of an occupant, includes an air bag to be extended in front of a seat of a vehicle and in a zone at a height of the seat. The air bag device is arranged at a widthwise center portion of the vehicle. The air bag includes a first air bag to be extended in a zone in front of the righthand seat of the vehicle, and a second air bag to be extended in a zone in front of the lefthand seat of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Motonobu Kitagawa, Akira Kokeguchi, Misao Kamiyama, Tadayuki Atoh
  • Patent number: 5277966
    Abstract: A woven fabric is wove using warps (6) and wefts (7) having coated threads (6a) and (7a), respectively, every other thread, with the remaining threads being uncoated threads (6b), (6c). The coated threads (6a), (7a) are melted by a heat setting treatment, thereby fusing the coated threads (6a) in the warps (6) to the wefts (7) and the coated threads (7a) in the wefts (7) to the warps (6). The woven fabric becomes an uncoated woven fabric on which a thin coating film has not been formed. Accordingly, the uncoated woven fabric has a predetermined amount of air permeability. The threads will not become frayed or tattered and the amount of air permeability will not change even when the uncoated woven fabric is cut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 1992
    Date of Patent: January 11, 1994
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nakayama, Motonobu Kitagawa
  • Patent number: 5265903
    Abstract: A device for protecting a head of an occupant in an automobile in case of e.g. a lateral collision has an air bag assembly installed above the window beside his seat, and including an inflatable air bag capable of moving down along the window upon inflation. The device also has a member which is movable to a position along and inwardly of the window upon inflation of the bag for holding the inflated bag against retraction from its position in which it can protect the head of the person, and a member or members for moving the bag holding member to the position along and inwardly of the window.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1992
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1993
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Masato Kuretake, Motonobu Kitagawa