Patents by Inventor Shotaro INOUE
Shotaro INOUE 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).
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Patent number: 11648984Abstract: A structure of a vehicle disclosed herein may include: a windshield; an instrument panel located below the windshield; in-vehicle equipment disposed such that the in-vehicle equipment projects upward above an upper surface of the instrument panel and is fixed to the instrument panel; and an impact relieving mechanism configured to, when a rearward and downward collision load is applied to the in-vehicle equipment, relieve the collision load by moving the in-vehicle equipment rearward and downward.Type: GrantFiled: August 12, 2021Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Shotaro Inoue, Marie Sakata, Masayuki Tado
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Patent number: 11628790Abstract: A column cover unit may include: a column cover configured to cover a steering column of a vehicle and comprising a first cover portion and a second cover portion, wherein a boundary between the first cover portion and the second cover portion extends from a front end of the column cover at a front portion of the vehicle toward a rear portion of the vehicle; and a contact member configured to separate the first cover portion and the second cover portion from each other at the boundary by contacting the column cover when the column cover is moved toward the front portion of the vehicle with the steering column.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2021Date of Patent: April 18, 2023Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Shotaro Inoue, Yutaka Kondoh
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Publication number: 20220324287Abstract: A vehicle includes a steering column, a radiant heater arranged in the steering column and configured to radiate radiant heat toward an area below the steering column, an instrument panel that defines part of an opening where the steering column passes and that extends in a lateral direction of the vehicle, an inside air sensor adjoining the opening in the instrument panel and configured to detect an indoor temperature of the vehicle, and a lower cover arranged below the steering column and defining the opening together with the instrument panel. At least the instrument panel or the lower cover includes a shielding wall positioned between the radiant heater and the inside air sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2022Publication date: October 13, 2022Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Shotaro INOUE, Takafumi Miyahara
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Publication number: 20220314802Abstract: An instrument panel includes a lower panel located in front of a front seat, a side panel facing a front door, and a switch. The lower panel includes a lower panel side overlapping the side panel on a back side of the side panel. The switch is fixed to the lower panel side, and an operating part of the switch is exposed through a hole provided in the side panel.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventors: Takeshi YOKOI, Masayuki TADO, Shotaro INOUE
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Publication number: 20220126649Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicle includes an input signal detector and a processor. The input signal detector detects an input signal that is based on a predetermined switch operation of a switch in the vehicle. The processor controls a defroster of the vehicle and an idle reduction, on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the input signal detector. The input signal detector includes a first detector that detects rising of the input signal that is based on the switch operation, and a second detector that detects falling of the input signal that is based on the switch operation. The processor drives the defroster on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the first detector, and prohibits the idle reduction on the basis of the detection of the input signal performed by the second detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 15, 2021Publication date: April 28, 2022Inventors: Shotaro INOUE, Yuki OHARA, Ayaka MINO
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Patent number: 11294395Abstract: An accompanying vehicle selection system includes: a first vehicle that is provided with a driver's seat; a plurality of second vehicles that have different functions from the first vehicle, and that are configured to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle; and a control unit that is provided in the first vehicle, and that determines, based on input information, which vehicle from among the plurality of second vehicles is to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 2019Date of Patent: April 5, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
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Publication number: 20220081034Abstract: A structure of a vehicle disclosed herein may include: a windshield; an instrument panel located below the windshield; in-vehicle equipment disposed such that the in-vehicle equipment projects upward above an upper surface of the instrument panel and is fixed to the instrument panel; and an impact relieving mechanism configured to, when a rearward and downward collision load is applied to the in-vehicle equipment, relieve the collision load by moving the in-vehicle equipment rearward and downward.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2021Publication date: March 17, 2022Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Shotaro INOUE, Marie SAKATA, Masayuki TADO
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Patent number: 11238092Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including: a first memory; a first processor that is connected to the first memory; and a storage section that stores image data related to a position information-appended image that is appended with position information relating to an imaging location. The first processor searches for one or more items of the image data including the position information within a predetermined range of a current position of a vehicle, and selects a position information-appended image related to image data found by the searching as an image to be displayed in the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2019Date of Patent: February 1, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
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Publication number: 20210316686Abstract: A column cover unit may include: a column cover configured to cover a steering column of a vehicle and comprising a first cover portion and a second cover portion, wherein a boundary between the first cover portion and the second cover portion extends from a front end of the column cover at a front portion of the vehicle toward a rear portion of the vehicle; and a contact member configured to separate the first cover portion and the second cover portion from each other at the boundary by contacting the column cover when the column cover is moved toward the front portion of the vehicle with the steering column.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2021Publication date: October 14, 2021Inventors: Shotaro INOUE, Yutaka KONDOH
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Patent number: 10988081Abstract: A vehicle notification system performs audio notification regarding a driving status of a vehicle that is capable of self-driving, for an occupant of the vehicle at a predetermined timing during self-driving. The vehicle notification system includes a position identification section that is configured to identify a current position of the vehicle. Based on a destination and the current position, notification that the driving status is conforming to a plan is performed at regular intervals, and notification that the driving status is not conforming to the plan is performed if the driving status is no longer conforming to the plan.Type: GrantFiled: October 18, 2019Date of Patent: April 27, 2021Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masaki Ito, Kihiro Kato, Michio Ikeda, Shotaro Inoue
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Patent number: 10836290Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a seatback that is rotatably connected to a seat rear side of the seat cushion; a headrest that is provided at a seat upper side end portion of the seatback, and that is configured to support a head portion of a vehicle occupant; and a hardness changing section that changes a hardness of a seat front side of the headrest by compressing a pad at an interior of the headrest, in a case in which an angle of inclination of the seatback with respect to the seat cushion is smaller than a predetermined angle, and canceling a compressed state of the pad, in a case in which the angle of inclination is larger than the predetermined angle.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Shotaro Inoue
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Publication number: 20200122639Abstract: A vehicle notification system performs audio notification regarding a driving status of a vehicle that is capable of self-driving, for an occupant of the vehicle at a predetermined timing during self-driving. The vehicle notification system includes a position identification section that is configured to identify a current position of the vehicle. Based on a destination and the current position, notification that the driving status is conforming to a plan is performed at regular intervals, and notification that the driving status is not conforming to the plan is performed if the driving status is no longer conforming to the plan.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 18, 2019Publication date: April 23, 2020Inventors: Masaki Ito, Kihiro Kato, Michio Ikeda, Shotaro Inoue
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Publication number: 20200073406Abstract: An accompanying vehicle selection system includes: a first vehicle that is provided with a driver's seat; a plurality of second vehicles that have different functions from the first vehicle, and that are configured to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle; and a control unit that is provided in the first vehicle, and that determines, based on input information, which vehicle from among the plurality of second vehicles is to travel in accompaniment with the first vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 2, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Inventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200073884Abstract: There is provided an image processing device including: a first memory; a first processor that is connected to the first memory; and a storage section that stores image data related to a position information-appended image that is appended with position information relating to an imaging location. The first processor searches for one or more items of the image data including the position information within a predetermined range of a current position of a vehicle, and selects a position information-appended image related to image data found by the searching as an image to be displayed in the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Inventors: Yoshinori Yamada, Masaki Ito, Shotaro Inoue, Akihiro Muguruma, Michio Ikeda
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Publication number: 20200047653Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat cushion; a seatback that is rotatably connected to a seat rear side of the seat cushion; a headrest that is provided at a seat upper side end portion of the seatback, and that is configured to support a head portion of a vehicle occupant; and a hardness changing section that changes a hardness of a seat front side of the headrest by compressing a pad at an interior of the headrest, in a case in which an angle of inclination of the seatback with respect to the seat cushion is smaller than a predetermined angle, and canceling a compressed state of the pad, in a case in which the angle of inclination is larger than the predetermined angle.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2019Publication date: February 13, 2020Inventor: Shotaro Inoue
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Patent number: 10513162Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle has a housing. The housing defines an air passage therein, includes a suction port, and houses a blower fan. The blower fan draws an air from the suction port and discharges the air into the air passage. The housing includes a facing portion that faces an inlet defining member including an air inlet. The facing portion includes the suction port. The facing portion has a rib that protrudes from the facing portion toward the inlet defining member. The facing portion and the rib define at least a part of an air guiding passage that guides the air from the air inlet to the suction port.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2018Date of Patent: December 24, 2019Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, SUBARU CORPORATIONInventors: Taisuke Sakaguchi, Shotaro Inoue, Masaaki Okui, Tsuyoshi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20180229578Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle has a housing. The housing defines an air passage therein, includes a suction port, and houses a blower fan. The blower fan draws an air from the suction port and discharges the air into the air passage. The housing includes a facing portion that faces an inlet defining member including an air inlet. The facing portion includes the suction port. The facing portion has a rib that protrudes from the facing portion toward the inlet defining member. The facing portion and the rib define at least a part of an air guiding passage that guides the air from the air inlet to the suction port.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2018Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: Taisuke SAKAGUCHI, Shotaro INOUE, Masaaki OKUI, Tsuyoshi TANAKA