Patents Assigned to Kabushiki Kaisha T an T
  • Publication number: 20050133357
    Abstract: A slide switch assembly comprises a housing and a slider having traveling contacts which define exposed contact faces. An accommodation section is formed in the housing to receive the slider and allow the slider to be moved slideably therein. A printed circuit board having fixed contact plates is attached to the printed circuit board. The printed circuit board is assembled with the housing such that the fixed contact plates are in opposition to the traveling contacts and adapted to make electrical contact with the traveling contacts in response to sliding movement of the slider. Preferably, the printed circuit board includes a printed conduction pattern, and the fixed contact plates include fixation bases adapted to be soldered to the conduction pattern and a bent contact portion extending therefrom. The accommodation section is most preferably defined by a partition wall having openings such that the contact portions of the fixed contact plates are positioned to be exposed through the openings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Yuji Shimoda, Hiroshi Ochiai
  • Patent number: 6834980
    Abstract: When molding the illumination lamp with a conventional resin, since the temperature of the resin is in the range of 240 to 300° C. and the injection pressure is in the range of 400 to 1300 Kg/cm2 at the time of injection, the illumination lamp may be melt by the temperature of the resin or may be broken by the injection pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hirofumi Okano, Keiji Shimoyama
  • Patent number: 6746139
    Abstract: A room lamp fixing structure fixes a room lamp to an automobile roof panel. The room lamp fixing structure most preferably includes a trim piece and a room lamp cover to cover the room lamp. A first room lamp fixing structure is attached to the cover of the room lamp. A second room lamp fixing structure fixes the room lamp to said trim. The first and second room lamp fixing structures therefore cooperate to fix the room lamp to the roof panel together with the trim. Most preferably, the first room lamp fixing structure includes a magenetic member and/or a hook-and-loop fastener.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Kouichi Sinzawa, Hirofumi Okano
  • Patent number: 6742917
    Abstract: Vanity mirrors are provided with a body base member having a mirror, and an illumination member detachably mounted to the body base member. The illumination member includes a lens plate and an elongate lamp tube having one and another terminal ends between which electrical current may pass to illuminate the lamp, and thus the mirror. The illumination member is provided with a planar base plate having a pair of spaced-apart base contact terminals adapted to being connected to lamp circuit leads through which electrical current may be supplied to the lamp tube. The lamp tube is positioned on an upper side of the base plate and has one terminal end thereof soldered to one of the base contact terminals. A contact piece is positioned on the upper side of the base plate and has an end thereof soldered to the other terminal end of the lamp member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hirofumi Okano, Tetsuo Mochida
  • Publication number: 20040090292
    Abstract: In the conventional fluid level detector, the reed switch is accommodated in the housing formed of an insulating material such as a resin or the like to prevent the reed switch from coming into direct contact with fluid and being electrically shorted. However, since such a construction requires the steps of storing and fixing the reed switch in the housing and leading out the lead therefrom, workability is low, the housing must be manufactured separately, and thus the cost increases. Accordingly, a reed switch wherein at least the tubular bulb portion is molded with a hot-melt resin is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hirofumi Okano, Keiji Shimoyama
  • Patent number: 6729751
    Abstract: There is provided a room lamp fixing structure to fix a room lamp 3 in the automobile roof panel 1, said structure including a fixing hole 22 provided in a trim 2 to be fixed in the roof panel; a plurality of projections 23 provided in said trim 2; and room lamp fixing means R including a plurality of engagement recesses 31a with which said plurality of projections 23 come into engagement upon insertion of the housing into said fixing hole 22 to fix said room lamp 3 to said trim, said trim 2 being fixed to said roof panel 1 by means of trim/room lamp fixing means for fixing to the roof panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Kouichi Sinzawa, Hirofumi Okano
  • Publication number: 20030210545
    Abstract: When molding the illumination lamp with a conventional resin, since the temperature of the resin is in the range of 240 to 300° C. and the injection pressure is in the range of 400 to 1300 Kg/cm2 at the time of injection, the illumination lamp may be melt by the temperature of the resin or may be broken by the injection pressure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2003
    Publication date: November 13, 2003
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T.
    Inventors: Hirofumi Okano, Keiji Shimoyama
  • Patent number: 6616311
    Abstract: Conventionally, in order to downsize the enclosure, there was no other choice than downsizing the enclosure and decreasing the area of the lens plate, or increasing the area of the lens plate and increasing the enclosure as well. However, decreasing the area of the lens plate disadvantageously lowers brightness of illumination. In contrast to this, when the dimensions of the lens plate are increased, the proportion of the area of the lens plate with respect to the roof increases, which leads to a problem in terms of design. Accordingly, the present invention provides an interior light system for vehicles comprising a lamp accommodated in the enclosure, a push switch for turning on and off the lamp fixed in the enclosure, and a lens plate journaled at the ends of the opening of the enclosure for a swinging motion, in which the push switch is turned on and off by pressing the lens plate, thereby turning the lamp on and off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T and T
    Inventors: Hisashi Soga, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 6488534
    Abstract: An automotive lamp unit to be mounted in a vehicle includes a plurality of bus bars embedded in a molded resin and used for switching on an automotive lamp. The plurality of bus bars formed integrally with each other via a bridge portion are embedded in the molded resin, and are electrically separated from each other by being separated from each other at the bridge portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hisashi Soga, Kouichi Sinzawa
  • Patent number: 6402570
    Abstract: An automotive lamp unit includes a bus bar unit forming a circuit with a plurality of bus bars connected with each other via a bridge portion, the bus bar unit including terminals, for connection to switches and a power source, and a supporting member for supporting a lamp, the circuit serving to switch on the lamp, and a resin base member provided with the bus bar unit mounted thereon at a predetermined position, and a small hole formed in the resin base member at a position thereof associated with the bridge portion. The plurality of bus bars are separated from each other at the bridge portion which is disposed in the small hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hisashi Soga, Kouichi Sinzawa
  • Patent number: 6402495
    Abstract: A resin-molding die for embedding in a molded resin a plurality of bus bars connected with each other via a bridge portion includes a supporting member formed on a first mold, for supporting the bus bars, a pin-receiving hole formed in the supporting member at a position associated with the bridge portion, and a pin provided on a second mold at the position associated with the bridge portion and the pin-receiving hole, for cutting and raising the bridge portion substantially at an intermediate part thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hisashi Soga, Kouichi Sinzawa, Yoshihisa Fuse
  • Publication number: 20010051459
    Abstract: An automotive lamp unit to be mounted in a vehicle includes a plurality of bus bars embedded in a molded resin and used for switching on an automotive lamp. The plurality of bus bars formed integrally with each other via a bridge portion are embedded in the molded resin, and are electrically separated from each other by being separated from each other at the bridge portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Publication date: December 13, 2001
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hisashi Soga, Kouichi Sinzawa
  • Patent number: 6325526
    Abstract: Automotive internal lights have a molded housing defining an elongate recess and bus bars which integrally include lamp holders secured within the molded housing and adapted to hold a lamp therebetween. The lamp holders have a base exposed to irradiate heat from said lamp. Connector terminals and an earth terminal are secured within said molded housing. The bus bars also integrally have spaced-apart fixed contacts secured within the molded housing so as to establish respective surfaces flush with the housing but exposed to said elongate recess. A slide switch is moveable longitudinally within the recess between at least first and second positions, and carries a generally U-shaped movable contact member which is adapted to contact the exposed surfaces of the fixed contacts so as to turn the lamp held by the lamp holder on and off, respectively. The housing includes notches formed in the recess opposite to the exposed surfaces of the fixed contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yabata, Kouji Mikami
  • Patent number: 6273593
    Abstract: Automotive lighting systems include a casing which defines an interior space and a pair of shafts extending thereacross so as to establish adjacent first and second interior space regions. Lamps are positioned in respective ones of these adjacent first and second interior space regions and are covered by a respective pair of lenses. Each lens has proximal and distal ends and is connected pivotally at the proximal end thereof to a respective one of the shafts to allow for independent pivotal movements of the distal end between inoperative and operative positions. Push switches are operatively connected to respective ones of the lamps and positioned in respective ones of the first and second interior space regions in such a manner that the distal ends of each lens is in contact with a respective push switch. In such a manner, the push switches may be operated in response to the pivotal movements of the lenses between its inoperative and operative positions to thereby illuminate the lamps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T an T
    Inventors: Hiroshi Yabata, Kouji Mikami
  • Patent number: 6093899
    Abstract: An automotive waterproof switch has a flange member integral to the switch. A screw is used to attach the switch to a car body. A protective cap is attached to the circumference of the flange member to cover the switch and the screw. There is an opening in the cap above the screw to access the screw for assembly. The edges of the opening comprise thin portions that are of a smaller diameter than the screw and retain the screw prior to final assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Takano, Kouji Mikami, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 6066819
    Abstract: A push button support structure for a push switch is provided with a housing, a push switch secured to the housing which has an actuator thereon, and a push button reciprocally moveable between on and off positions so as to responsively engage the actuator and thereby perform on and off switching actions, respectively. A pair of first elongate engagement posts is provided on one of the push button or housing which defines a circular cross-sectional geometry. Each elongate engagement post is positioned on a respective side of the push switch so that the push switch is disposed between the pair of first elongate engagement posts. A pair of second elongate engagement posts, in alignment with the pair of first elongate engagement posts, is also provided on the other of the push button or housing and defines a square cross-sectional geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Takano, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 6028276
    Abstract: Switch mounting structures have a generally rectangular body switch with oppositely extending planar base extensions, and a housing which defines a pair of spaced-apart slotted mounting entries to receive respective terminal edge portions of a respective one of the base extensions. The terminal edge portions of the base extensions include diagonally opposed pairs of coved portions and recesses, while the housing includes a pair of diagonally opposed proturbences. These proturbences are engaged with said diagonally opposed pair of recesses when said base extensions are rotated relative to said housing from an initial insertion position, where the base extensions are in a slanted orientation relative to the mounting entries, and a mounted position, where the base extensions are in a non-slanted orientation relative to the mounting entries. In such a manner, the switch body and the housing are brought lockable engagement with one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2000
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Takano, Hiroshi Yabata, Takeshi Sato
  • Patent number: 5882231
    Abstract: A switch connecting structure comprising: a switch in which at least two facing terminal plates are formed within recesses formed in a portion of a housing; bus bars having blade terminals rising from an insulated base; and, connection terminals in which are formed a pair of first resilient clamps that are inserted into said housing recesses and resiliently fit onto said terminal plates, and a pair of second resilient clamps that resiliently fit onto the blade terminals of said bus bars.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 16, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventors: Tsunesuke Takano, Kouichi Sinzawa, Yoji Yabata
  • Patent number: D467028
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T AN T
    Inventor: Hirofumi Okano
  • Patent number: D467029
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2002
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha T An T
    Inventor: Hirofumi Okano