Patents by Inventor Sadato Kita

Sadato Kita 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: 6840128
    Abstract: Energy absorbing steering devices may include an outer cylindrical member (OU) that is press-fited around an inner shaft member (IN). The outer shape of the inner shaft member and the inner shape of the outer cylindrical member have a circular cross-section and the diameter of the inner shape of the outer cylinder member is larger than the diameter of the outer shape of the inner shaft member. A plurality of fine members (W) is disposed along the axial direction between the circular cross-sectional outer shape and the circular cross-sectional inner shape in order to provide a clearance (G) between the inner shaft member and the outer cylindrical member. The arrangement of the fine members may be modified in order to adjust the rigidity of relative movement along the axial direction of the outer cylindrical member and the inner shaft member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigemi Shioya, Sadato Kita, Takashi Shimada, Seiji Sano
  • Patent number: 6764098
    Abstract: A support mechanism of a steering system that supports a steering column to a part of a vehicle body includes an energy absorbing member mounted on the side of a steering column or the vehicle body, a support pin mounted on the side of the vehicle body or the steering column, that deforms the energy absorbing member when the steering column moves relative to the vehicle body, and an actuator mounted on the side of the steering column or the vehicle body, that changes deformation characteristics of the energy absorbing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shin Matsumoto, Mayumi Kamoshita, Sadato Kita, Kiminori Yoshino, Hideo Kondo, Junichi Nakano, Hitoshi Araki, Shigeru Hoshino, Kenji Imamura
  • Publication number: 20020167157
    Abstract: A support mechanism of a steering system that supports a steering column to a part of a vehicle body includes an energy absorbing member mounted on the side of a steering column or the vehicle body, a support pin mounted on the side of the vehicle body or the steering column, that deforms the energy absorbing member when the steering column moves relative to the vehicle body, and an actuator mounted on the side of the steering column or the vehicle body, that changes deformation characteristics of the energy absorbing member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2002
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shin Matsumoto, Mayumi Kamoshita, Sadato Kita, Kiminori Yoshino, Hideo Kondo, Junichi Nakano, Hitoshi Araki, Shigeru Hoshino, Kenji Imamura
  • Patent number: 6400254
    Abstract: A keyhole is formed on an operating knob installed on the front surface of a rotary switch. The rotary switch can therefore be operated by inserting into the keyhole an electronic key having a long and narrow shape and then turning the operating knob. As a result, operations for an engine start using the electronic key are the same as those using a conventional key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika-Denki-Sesakusho
    Inventors: Keiji Yamamoto, Kazunori Sakai, Noriaki Nakatomi, Sadato Kita, Yasuo Oyama, Noriyuki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20010011942
    Abstract: A keyhole is formed on an operating knob installed on the front surface of a rotary switch. The rotary switch can therefore be operated by inserting into the keyhole an electronic key having a long and narrow shape and then turning the operating knob. As a result, operations for an engine start using the electronic key are the same as those using a conventional key.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 1998
    Publication date: August 9, 2001
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: KEIJI YAMAMOTO, KAZUNORI SAKAI, NORIAKI NAKATOMI, SADATO KITA, YASUO OYAMA, NORIYUKI SUZUKI
  • Patent number: 6233986
    Abstract: An actuator portion 8 provided separately from an operating portion includes a lock member 13 for locking a steering shaft 9, a motor 18, and a lock control mechanism 34. The lock control mechanism 34 has a driven body 21 rotated by the motor 18 through a gear mechanism 43, a cam member 20 for moving the lock member 13, and an unlock spring member 27 constituted by a torsion coiled spring and disposed between the driven body 21 and the cam member 20. When the motor 18 is subjected to an unlocking operation in the condition that handle torque acts on the lock member 13, the spring force of the unlock spring member 27 is accumulated while the unlock spring member 27 absorbs the rotational displacement of the driven body 21.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki
    Inventors: Noriyuki Suzuki, Sadato Kita