Patents by Inventor Toshimitu Watanabe

Toshimitu Watanabe 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: 6530594
    Abstract: A jump-up stand is disposed below a folded air bag body and is also provided over a region from a position near a front side of a center pillar to the center pillar. The jump-up stand is formed from a plate material which is bent to have a substantially L-shaped cross sectional configuration and includes a wall portion extending toward an upper end of a center pillar garnish. Accordingly, when the air bag body expands, the air bag body expands toward the interior of a vehicle along the wall portion of the jump-up stand so as to prevent large load from acting on the upper end of the center pillar garnish.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakajima, Toshimitu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6334626
    Abstract: An interior equipment mounting structure for a vehicle incorporating a head-protecting air bag body, a roof head lining, which is deformed at the time of expansion of the air bag body, includes a sun visor and an arm. The sun visor is connected to a vehicle body and is movable from an accommodated state to at least one predetermined position for use. The sun visor is connected to the vehicle body by the arm. The sun visor is formed by a main body portion and by an overhang portion. When a load of a predetermined value or more acts on the overhang portion by the expansion of the air bag body, the overhang portion is easily deformable with respect to the main body portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakajima, Toshimitu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6302434
    Abstract: A structure for the placement of a head protecting air bag body which is provided from a front pillar to along a roof side rail and expands into a curtain-like form, comprising: an opening trim which is fixed to a mounting portion of a vehicle door opening portion at which the opening trim is mounted to the vehicle door opening portion; and an air bag body expansion guide means which guides the expanding of the air bag body such that the air bag body expands without contacting the mounting portion of the vehicle door opening portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakajima, Toshimitu Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20010022441
    Abstract: A structure for the placement of a head protecting air bag body which is provided from a front pillar to along a roof side rail and expands into a curtain-like form, comprising: an opening trim which is fixed to a mounting portion of a vehicle door opening portion at which the opening trim is mounted to the vehicle door opening portion; and an air bag body expansion guide means which guides the expanding of the air bag body such that the air bag body expands without contacting the mounting portion of the vehicle door opening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 1998
    Publication date: September 20, 2001
    Inventors: HIROKI NAKAJIMA, TOSHIMITU WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20010000290
    Abstract: During a collision, an air bag causes deformation of a roof head lining as the air bag expands. A roof head lining deformation limiting structure restricts inward deformation of the roof head lining. Thus, the roof head lining is prevented from interfering with an interior equipment, e.g., a sun visor, thereby reducing breakage of the sun visor provided adjacent the roof head lining. The deformation limiting structure can take the form of an assist grip or a card holder. Also, the assist grip or the card holder can be mounted onto a member, e.g., a bracket, that plastically deforms upon being struck by the occupant's head during a collision, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact that would otherwise be transferred to the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: April 19, 2001
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakajima, Toshimitu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 6173990
    Abstract: During a collision, an air bag causes deformation of a roof head lining as the air bag expands. A roof head lining deformation limiting structure restricts inward deformation of the roof head lining. Thus, the roof head lining is prevented from interfering with an interior equipment, e.g., a sun visor, thereby reducing breakage of the sun visor provided adjacent the roof head lining. The deformation limiting structure can take the form of an assist grip or a card holder. Also, the assist grip or the card holder can be mounted onto a member, e.g., a bracket, that plastically deforms upon being struck by the occupant's head during a collision, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact that would otherwise be transferred to the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2001
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroki Nakajima, Toshimitu Watanabe
  • Patent number: 4512239
    Abstract: A vehicle which incorporates an air treatment unit mounted underneath the front instrument panel. A hollow center console box extends along the center of the floor of the vehicle passenger compartment in the longitudinal direction. An opening at the front end of the console box is connected to an air outlet of the air treatment unit, and an opening at the rear end of the console box opens towards a space defined underneath the front seating assembly of the vehicle between it and the floor. Thus treated air is led from the air treatment unit through the hollow console box and is emitted towards the space under the front seating assembly so as to pass therefrom into the rear seating space behind the front seating assembly, and there is no risk that the feet of a person seated on the front seating assembly obstruct this flow of treated air to the space underneath the front seating assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 1983
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1985
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshimitu Watanabe, Masayuki Sakai, Kazutoshi Minami, Shigeji Takumi