Patents by Inventor Yoshitomo Ihashi
Yoshitomo Ihashi 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: 9447612Abstract: A system and method for controlling an automatic operation of a power door of a vehicle is presented. An actuation of an interior switch by a user is detected and, upon detecting the actuation of the interior switch, whether at least one door of the vehicle is locked is determined. When the at least one door of the vehicle is locked, whether a vehicle security is set is determined. When the at least one door of the vehicle is locked and the vehicle security is set, the automatic operation of the power door is prohibited. When the at least one door of the vehicle is not locked or the vehicle security is not set, the automatic operation of the power door is permitted.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2014Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Michael D. Oakley, Craig T. Kline, Dean A. Scott, Jr., Hideaki Arai, Joseph P. Whinnery, Saeed Namakydoost, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Trevor Scott Whitten, Makoto Watanabe
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Publication number: 20150033630Abstract: A system and method for controlling an automatic operation of a power door of a vehicle is presented. An actuation of an interior switch by a user is detected and, upon detecting the actuation of the interior switch, whether at least one door of the vehicle is locked is determined. When the at least one door of the vehicle is locked, whether a vehicle security is set is determined. When the at least one door of the vehicle is locked and the vehicle security is set, the automatic operation of the power door is prohibited. When the at least one door of the vehicle is not locked or the vehicle security is not set, the automatic operation of the power door is permitted.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2014Publication date: February 5, 2015Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Michael D. Oakley, Craig T. Kline, Dean A. Scott, JR., Hideaki Arai, Joseph P. Whinnery, Saeed Namakydoost, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Trevor Scott Whitten, Makoto Watanabe
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Patent number: 8872447Abstract: A system and method for controlling an operation of a power door of a vehicle are presented. An activation of a user interface device associated with the power door is detected. A cue is provided using a notification device after detecting the activation of the user interface device. In one implementation, the notification device includes an audible alarm. When the user interface device is activated for greater than a predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a power mode of operation, and the notification device is used to indicate a current operational mode of the power door. In one implementation, when the user interface device is deactivated within the predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a manual mode of operation.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2012Date of Patent: October 28, 2014Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Michael D Oakley, Craig T Kline, Dean A. Scott, Jr., Hideaki Arai, Joseph P Whinnery, Saeed Namakydoost, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Trevor Scott Whitten, Makoto Watanabe
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Publication number: 20140041301Abstract: A system and method for controlling an operation of a power door of a vehicle are presented. An activation of a user interface device associated with the power door is detected. A cue is provided using a notification device after detecting the activation of the user interface device. In one implementation, the notification device includes an audible alarm. When the user interface device is activated for greater than a predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a power mode of operation, and the notification device is used to indicate a current operational mode of the power door. In one implementation, when the user interface device is deactivated within the predetermined time period, the power door is caused to be in a manual mode of operation.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2012Publication date: February 13, 2014Inventors: Michael D. Oakley, Craig T. Kline, Dean A. Scott, JR., Hideaki Arai, Joseph P. Whinnery, Saeed Namakydoost, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Trevor Scott Whitten, Makoto Watanabe
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Patent number: 8397581Abstract: A sensor apparatus may include an attachment member operatively attached to a closure member of an associated vehicle, a sensor housing substantially enclosing an associated pinching sensor, a neck portion connecting the sensor housing to the attachment member, and a seal extending from the neck portion and contacting a body portion of the associated vehicle when the closure member is in a closed position.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2010Date of Patent: March 19, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co. Ltd.Inventors: Joseph Patrick Ruby, III, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Publication number: 20110232391Abstract: A sensor apparatus may include an attachment member operatively attached to a closure member of an associated vehicle, a sensor housing substantially enclosing an associated pinching sensor, a neck portion connecting the sensor housing to the attachment member, and a seal extending from the neck portion and contacting a body portion of the associated vehicle when the closure member is in a closed position.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2010Publication date: September 29, 2011Inventors: Joseph Patrick Ruby, III, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Patent number: 7850229Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a vehicle body frame, a closure connected to the vehicle body frame, a garnish connected to the vehicle body frame, and a closure stopper seat body disposed between the garnish and the vehicle body frame. The closure is movable between an open position and a closed position. The stopper seat body is configured to absorb an impact from the movable closure when the movable closure moves toward the closed position. The closure stopper seat body can be used with a number of different closures including a door, a tailgate, a trunk lid, and the like.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2008Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitomo Ihashi, Wesley A. Johnson
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Publication number: 20100038931Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a vehicle body frame, a closure connected to the vehicle body frame, a garnish connected to the vehicle body frame, and a closure stopper seat body disposed between the garnish and the vehicle body frame. The closure is movable between an open position and a closed position. The stopper seat body is configured to absorb an impact from the movable closure when the movable closure moves toward the closed position. The closure stopper seat body can be used with a number of different closures including a door, a tailgate, a trunk lid, and the like.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 13, 2008Publication date: February 18, 2010Inventors: Yoshitomo Ihashi, Wesley A. Johnson
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Patent number: 7537267Abstract: A hatchback door structure for vehicles which includes an inner panel arranged on an inner side of a vehicle; and an outer panel arranged on an outer side of the vehicle, wherein the inner panel includes a frame which has a shape outlining an outer shape of the hatchback door, and a pair of stiffening ribs which is integrally formed with the frame and extends approximately in a V-shape to both side portions of the frame from a bottom side of the frame. Further, the inner panel is integrally formed by press-forming and includes a discrete lateral beam which is fixed and extends between jointing portions of the side portions of the frame and stiffening ribs, wherein, the discrete lateral beam is formed by press-forming, and a window frame on which a window glass is fixed is formed in an upper portion of the frame.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 2007Date of Patent: May 26, 2009Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeki Tanaka, Tomofumi Ichinose, Kenichi Munenaga, Kazuhiko Yamada, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Publication number: 20070170751Abstract: A hatchback door structure for vehicles which includes an inner panel arranged on an inner side of a vehicle; and an outer panel arranged on an outer side of the vehicle, wherein the inner panel includes a frame which has a shape outlining an outer shape of the hatchback door, and a pair of stiffening ribs which is integrally formed with the frame and extends approximately in a V-shape to both side portions of the frame from a bottom side of the frame. Further, the inner panel is integrally formed by press-forming and includes a discrete lateral beam which is fixed and extends between jointing portions of the side portions of the frame and stiffening ribs, wherein, the discrete lateral beam is formed by press-forming, and a window frame on which a window glass is fixed is formed in an upper portion of the frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 24, 2007Publication date: July 26, 2007Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takeki Tanaka, Tomofumi Ichinose, Kenichi Munenaga, Kazuhiko Yamada, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Patent number: 7159927Abstract: A powered tailgate system in which a direct driven rack 44 is connected to one end of a rod 52, one end of a curved arm 54 is connected to the other end of the rod 52, the other end of the curved arm 54 is connected to a tailgate 15, an arm side slider portion 60 which curves concentrically with the curved arm 54 is provided on the curved arm 54, and a plurality of load receiving portions 87 to 90 adapted to be brought into sliding contact with the arm side slider portion 60 so as to receive a load are disposed on a vehicle body side at intervals along a traveling direction of the curved arm 54.Type: GrantFiled: July 8, 2004Date of Patent: January 9, 2007Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitomo Ihashi, Takeshi Hattori, Takeki Tanaka, Osamu Sera, Akihiro Kitagawa, Tomofumi Ichinose
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Patent number: 7144066Abstract: A power tailgate apparatus of the present invention includes: a curved arm of which one end side is connected to a tailgate; a rod of which one end side is connected to another end side of the curved arm; a rectilinearly moving rack connected to another end side of the rod; a driving power source arranged at a position adjacent to the rectilinearly moving rack; a driving force transfer part which transfers a driving power of the driving power source to the rectilinearly moving rack; and a guide having a curve that is concentric with the curved arm, which guides the curved arm along the curve.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2004Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihisa Omori, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Patent number: 7117638Abstract: A vehicle door open-close device which makes it possible to achieve a reduction in numbers of parts and also make the deflection width size of a member 5 small, to thereby allow an effective use of a vehicle compartment to be aimed at, is produced, comprising a driving mechanism positioned inwardly from a door opening, an operation transfer mechanism to connect this driving mechanism and the vehicle door, the operation transfer mechanism being equipped with a slider member reciprocatingly and linearly moving by the aid of the driving means, and a link member connecting this slider member and the vehicle door, wherein the link member is rotatably connected to the slider member and the vehicle door, and the link member includes a straight portion and a curved portion outwardly and protrudingly curved away from a center of rotation of the vehicle door, and a straight portion 5b formed in substantially straight line in a connection part 8.Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2003Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Patent number: 7069695Abstract: An automatically opening/closing apparatus for vehicle of rack-and-pinion type is reduced in size and weight. The automatically opening/closing apparatus for vehicle is automatically opened/closed, by transmitting rotation of an electric motor to a back door through a drive power transmitting mechanism comprising a pinion and a rack. The rack is supported linearly reciprocably by a slide mechanism comprising a slide block and a guide rail. The slide block is formed to be sufficiently short to the entire length of the rack and the guide rail is accordingly formed to be short. Further, the rack is provided with a groove portion, and a holding member contacting with a holding face is disposed in the groove portion. Then, an interval between the rack and the opinion is maintained by the holding member, whereby engagement of the pinion therewith is ensured.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2004Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Mitsuba CorporationInventors: Takeshi Hattori, Tomofumi Ichinose, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Toshihisa Omori, Yasushi Yoshida
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Publication number: 20050076571Abstract: An automatically opening/closing apparatus for vehicle of rack-and-pinion type is reduced in size and weight. The automatically opening/closing apparatus for vehicle is automatically opened/closed, by transmitting rotation of an electric motor to a back door through a drive power transmitting mechanism comprising a pinion and a rack. The rack is supported linearly reciprocably by a slide mechanism comprising a slide block and a guide rail. The slide block is formed to be sufficiently short to the entire length of the rack and the guide rail is accordingly formed to be short. Further, the rack is provided with a groove portion, and a holding member contacting with a holding face is disposed in the groove portion. Then, an interval between the rack and the opinion is maintained by the holding member, whereby engagement of the pinion therewith is ensured.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 8, 2004Publication date: April 14, 2005Applicants: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., Mitsuba CorporationInventors: Takeshi Hattori, Tomofumi Ichinose, Yoshitomo Ihashi, Toshihisa Omori, Yasushi Yoshida
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Patent number: 6871449Abstract: In a door opening/closing apparatus allowing a door opening to have as wide an area as possible, an improved structure is provided which can serve to obviate the need for including a reinforcement structure or an additional seal structure, so that the door opening/closing apparatus can be simplified in structure. An arm member 3 is coupled to a door of a vehicle, and a driving unit 2 is provided inside a vehicle body of the vehicle to move the arm member 3. The arm member 3 is arranged to be protrudable from inside of the vehicle body, through a space which the door D occupies when closed, pushing the door D open and pulling the door D shut. A seal member 8 is provided along an inner peripheral edge of a body panel PB defining a door opening S of the vehicle body, and a through opening 9 through which the arm member 3 is protrudable is formed in the seal member 3.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 2003Date of Patent: March 29, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Publication number: 20050023855Abstract: A power tailgate apparatus of the present invention includes: a curved arm of which one end side is connected to a tailgate; a rod of which one end side is connected to another end side of the curved arm; a rectilinearly moving rack connected to another end side of the rod; a driving power source arranged at a position adjacent to the rectilinearly moving rack; a driving force transfer part which transfers a driving power of the driving power source to the rectilinearly moving rack; and a guide having a curve that is concentric with the curved arm, which guides the curved arm along the curve.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2004Publication date: February 3, 2005Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihisa Omori, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Publication number: 20050017539Abstract: A powered tailgate system in which a direct driven rack 44 is connected to one end of a rod 52, one end of a curved arm 54 is connected to the other end of the rod 52, the other end of the curved arm 54 is connected to a tailgate 15, an arm side slider portion 60 which curves concentrically with the curved arm 54 is provided on the curved arm 54, and a plurality of load receiving portions 87 to 90 adapted to be brought into sliding contact with the arm side slider portion 60 so as to receive a load are disposed on a vehicle body side at intervals along a traveling direction of the curved arm 54.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 8, 2004Publication date: January 27, 2005Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshitomo Ihashi, Takeshi Hattori, Takeki Tanaka, Osamu Sera, Akihiro Kitagawa, Tomofumi Ichinose
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Patent number: 6789837Abstract: A vehicle body structure comprises: a side roof rail, a rear roof rail, and a rear pillar, which are disposed in the rear portion of an vehicle body, and which intersect each other at an intersecting portion; a rear door provided for optionally opening and closing a rear port of the vehicle body; an automatic opening and closing unit disposed inside the vehicle body and in the vicinity of the intersecting portion; an aperture provided in the intersecting portion; and an arm provided through the aperture for connecting the automatic opening and closing unit to the rear door. The automatic opening and closing unit is fixed to at least the side roof rail, the rear roof rail, and the rear pillar so as to pass above the aperture.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2003Date of Patent: September 14, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Jun Mitsui, Tsuyoshi Higuchi, Kanji Fujii, Yoshitomo Ihashi
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Publication number: 20040020128Abstract: In a door opening/closing apparatus allowing a door opening to have as wide an area as possible, an improved structure is provided which can serve to obviate the need for including a reinforcement structure or an additional seal structure, so that the door opening/closing apparatus can be simplified in structure. An arm member 3 is coupled to a door of a vehicle, and a driving unit 2 is provided inside a vehicle body of the vehicle to move the arm member 3. The arm member 3 is arranged to be protrudable from inside of the vehicle body, through a space which the door D occupies when closed, pushing the door D open and pulling the door D shut. A seal member 8 is provided along an inner peripheral edge of a body panel PB defining a door opening S of the vehicle body, and a through opening 9 through which the arm member 3 is protrudable is formed in the seal member 3.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2003Publication date: February 5, 2004Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Yoshitomo Ihashi