Patents by Inventor Akihiro Tsuruta

Akihiro Tsuruta 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).

  • Publication number: 20100210127
    Abstract: To enable a male connector and a female connector to be opposed to each other in parallel, at least when female terminals and male terminals of the respective connectors start to be connected, so that engagement of the male terminals with the female terminals can be smoothly and coaxially performed, without applying excessive stress to each other, a thick wall part 40 protruding toward an upper face of a male connector 2 is formed in a part of a lower face of a lever 1 opposed to the upper face of the male connector 2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA, Kazuya TERAO
  • Patent number: 7766697
    Abstract: Retaining projections are formed on and project outwardly in a right-left direction respectively from right and left side walls of a spacer. The retaining projections are used for achieving a provisionally-retained condition and a completely-retained condition of the spacer. When the side walls are elastically deformed, the retaining projections slide over respective retaining portions of a connector housing to thereby achieve the retained condition. The side walls which can be elastically deformed inwardly in the forward-rearward direction form portions of right and left outermost terminal passage holes, and therefore must hold respective metal terminals, respectively. Therefore, holding projections are formed on and project inwardly in the right-left direction respectively from the side walls. These terminal holding projections serve to hold the respective metal terminals in predetermined positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsumura, Akihiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7637757
    Abstract: A lever fitting type connector includes a male connector having a temporary-retaining convex portion, a lever having a temporary-retaining portion, and a female connector having a fitting space. An inner wall forming the fitting space has a guiding groove portion and a receiving groove portion and has a release portion. When the fulcrum projection is located in the guide groove portion at the initial process of the fitting operation, a clearance represented by X is formed between the fulcrum projection and an edge wall of the guide groove portion, and a clearance represented by Y is formed between the temporary-retaining portion and the temporary-retaining convex portion, and the formula, (X×b<Y×a), is established where a represents the distance between an axis of rotation movement of the lever and the fulcrum projection, and b represents the distance between the axis of rotation movement of the lever and the temporary-retaining portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsumura, Akihiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7628639
    Abstract: Provided is a lever type connector for fitting connectors by swinging a lever 110, in which a lever side plate 102 is provided with a temporary locking arm 110. The temporary locking arm is provided with a bending restricting protrusion 113. When the temporary locking arm is deformed by applying excessive external force to a lever in a state where the lever before connector fitting is positioned at a temporary locking position, the bending restricting protrusion 113 restricts bending of the temporary locking arm in a temporary releasing direction (outward direction) by engaging with the inner face side of the lever side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsumura, Akihiro Tsuruta
  • Patent number: 7588455
    Abstract: A connector, includes: a connector housing including an engaging space to receive a mating connector through the entrance, and a terminal container; a male terminal including a base end fitted to the terminal container and an electric connecting portion extended from the base end into the engaging space; an aligning plate which is arranged within the engaging space, includes a terminal insertion hole for passing the electric connecting portion therethrough, and adapted to move in the engaging space between a temporarily and a permanently locked positions; a temporarily locking hook including a projection projected from an arm portion so as to hold the aligning plate at the temporarily locked position; and a contact part provided on the projection to contact the aligning plate, so that a vector for pulling the arm portion inward into the engaging space is generated when the aligning plate is pressed toward the terminal container.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsumura, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7578685
    Abstract: Provided is a lever type connector for fitting a connector by a swing operation of a lever 100, in which a notch portion 104 is provided at lever side plates of a substantially U-shaped lever, and it is possible to mount the lever on a male connector housing while swinging the lever about a rib as a fulcrum by engaging the notch portion with a male connector housing rib 14. When swing fulcrum protrusions 16 and 17 and swing holes 106 and 107 are fitted to each other by swinging the lever about the rib as a fulcrum in an inner face of an outer peripheral portion of the lever side plate, the lever side plate is led to be mounted on the swing fulcrum protrusion to promote the lover side plate to open outward. A guide slope 108 thereby guiding the swing holes to be fitted to the swing fulcrum protrusions is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Kaoru Matsumura, Akihiro Tsuruta
  • Publication number: 20090203240
    Abstract: A lever fitting type connector includes a male connector, a lever which is rotatably attached to the male connector, and a female connector which has a fitting space into which the male connector is inserted. The lever has a fulcrum protrusion provided on one end portion of the lever. An inner wall forming the fitting space of the female connector has a guiding groove portion and a receiving groove portion for receiving the fulcrum protrusion. The guiding groove portion extends in a fitting direction of the male connector with respect to the female connector from an upper end portion of the inner wall toward the inside of the fitting space. The receiving groove portion which is communicated with the guiding groove portion and extends in a direction intersecting the fitting direction from one end of the guiding groove portion which is away from the upper portion of the inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA, Koichi SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20090203241
    Abstract: A lever fitting type connector includes a male connector having a temporary-retaining convex portion, a lever having a temporary-retaining portion, and a female connector having a fitting space. An inner wall forming the fitting space has a guiding groove portion and a receiving groove portion and has a release portion. When the fulcrum projection is located in the guide groove portion at the initial process of the fitting operation, a clearance represented by X is formed between the fulcrum projection and an edge wall of the guide groove portion, and a clearance represented by Y is formed between the temporary-retaining portion and the temporary-retaining convex portion, and the formula, (X×b<Y×a), is established where a represents the distance between an axis of rotation movement of the lever and the fulcrum projection, and b represents the distance between the axis of rotation movement of the lever and the temporary-retaining portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20090203248
    Abstract: A connector, includes: a connector housing including an engaging space to receive a mating connector through the entrance, and a terminal container; a male terminal including a base end fitted to the terminal container and an electric connecting portion extended from the base end into the engaging space; an aligning plate which is arranged within the engaging space, includes a terminal insertion hole for passing the electric connecting portion therethrough, and adapted to move in the engaging space between a temporarily and a permanently locked positions; a temporarily locking hook including a projection projected from an arm portion so as to hold the aligning plate at the temporarily locked position; and a contact part provided on the projection to contact the aligning plate, so that a vector for pulling the arm portion inward into the engaging space is generated when the aligning plate is pressed toward the terminal container.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20090163062
    Abstract: Provided is a lever type connector for fitting connectors by swinging a lever 110, in which a lever side plate 102 is provided with a temporary locking arm 110. The temporary locking arm is provided with a bending restricting protrusion 113. When the temporary locking arm is deformed by applying excessive external force to a lever in a state where the lever before connector fitting is positioned at a temporary locking position, the bending restricting protrusion 113 restricts bending of the temporary locking arm in a temporary releasing direction (outward direction) by engaging with the inner face side of the lever side plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20090163061
    Abstract: Provided is a lever type connector for fitting a connector by a swing operation of a lever 100, in which a notch portion 104 is provided at lever side plates of a substantially U-shaped lever, and it is possible to mount the lever on a male connector housing while swinging the lever about a rib as a fulcrum by engaging the notch portion with a male connector housing rib 14. When swing fulcrum protrusions 16 and 17 and swing holes 106 and 107 are fitted to each other by swinging the lever about the rib as a fulcrum in an inner face of an outer peripheral portion of the lever side plate, the lever side plate is led to be mounted on the swing fulcrum protrusion to promote the lover side plate to open outward. A guide slope 108 thereby guiding the swing holes to be fitted to the swing fulcrum protrusions is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20090163063
    Abstract: Provided is a lever type connector for fitting connectors by swinging a lever 100, in which protrusions 115 and 116 are provided on an outer peripheral portion of the one end side of the lever side plate 102, a reception portion 15A for preventing the lever side plate from opening outward by engaging with the protrusions provided on the outer peripheral portion of the lever side plate in a male connector housing 10H for mounting the lever, and the protrusions 115 and 116 and the reception portion 15A are provided to engage with each other when the lever mounted on at least the male connector housing is set to a temporary locking position before connector fitting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: June 25, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA
  • Publication number: 20090142958
    Abstract: Retaining projections are formed on and project outwardly in a right-left direction respectively from right and left side walls of a spacer. The retaining projections are used for achieving a provisionally-retained condition and a completely-retained condition of the spacer. When the side walls are elastically deformed, the retaining projections slide over respective retaining portions of a connector housing to thereby achieve the retained condition. The side walls which can be elastically deformed inwardly in the forward-rearward direction form portions of right and left outermost terminal passage holes, and therefore must hold respective metal terminals, respectively. Therefore, holding projections are formed on and project inwardly in the right-left direction respectively from the side walls. These terminal holding projections serve to hold the respective metal terminals in predetermined positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kaoru MATSUMURA, Akihiro TSURUTA
  • Patent number: 7402069
    Abstract: A connector housing includes a housing main body and a tubular shroud. Terminal receiving chambers are mounted on the housing main body. A male connector housing is inserted into the shroud. The male connector housing receives male terminals to be fitted to female terminals received in the terminal receiving chambers. A notched groove is formed on the shroud in a length direction of the female terminals. A half-fit detecting member receives a female connector housing and includes a pair of correcting ribs. A pair of abutting walls facing each other is mounted on both sides of the notched groove. The pair of correcting ribs abuts on the pair of abutting walls to prevent a width of the notched groove to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shigeta, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiromasa Kubota
  • Publication number: 20080153341
    Abstract: A flexible lock arm has a first arm which extends from a stay portion to an inflection point of the first arm on a front side of a terminal along a length direction indicated by arrow Y1 and a second arm which extends from the inflection point of the first arm to a rear end viewed from a stay portion. A first retaining projection is provided on the second arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Applicant: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shigeta, Akihiro Tsuruta, Takeshi Kazama, Hiromasa Kubota
  • Patent number: 7275951
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a connector which is not subjected to an excess force when a locking securing unit is operated to remove engagement. The connector includes a male housing, a locking arm for engaging with a locking projection of a mating connector, a locking securing unit, and deformation switching portions. The locking securing unit is movably disposed between a regulation position to regulate a resilient deformation of the locking arm and an allowance position to allow the resilient deformation thereof. The deformation switching portions have a first interfering portion disposed on the locking arm and a second interfering portion disposed on the locking securing unit. When the locking securing unit is in the allowance position, the first and second interfering portions interfere each other and the locking arm resiliently deforms to remove engagement with the locking projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Yazaki Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shigeta, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiromasa Kubota, Atsushi Nishida, Masato Minakata, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20070105420
    Abstract: A connector housing includes a housing main body and a tubular shroud. Terminal receiving chambers are mounted on the housing main body. A male connector housing is inserted into the shroud. The male connector housing receives male terminals to be fitted to female terminals received in the terminal receiving chambers. A notched groove is formed on the shroud in a length direction of the female terminals. A half-fit detecting member receives a female connector housing and includes a pair of correcting ribs. A pair of abutting walls facing each other is mounted on both sides of the notched groove. The pair of correcting ribs abuts on the pair of abutting walls to prevent a width of the notched groove to be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shigeta, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiromasa Kubota
  • Publication number: 20070099496
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide a connector which is not subjected to an excess force when a locking securing unit is operated to remove engagement. The connector includes a male housing, a locking arm for engaging with a locking projection of a mating connector, a locking securing unit, and deformation switching portions. The locking securing unit is movably disposed between a regulation position to regulate a resilient deformation of the locking arm and an allowance position to allow the resilient deformation thereof. The deformation switching portions have a first interfering portion disposed on the locking arm and a second interfering portion disposed on the locking securing unit. When the locking securing unit is in the allowance position, the first and second interfering portions interfere each other and the locking arm resiliently deforms to remove engagement with the locking projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Shigeta, Akihiro Tsuruta, Hiromasa Kubota, Atsushi Nishida, Masato Minakata, Hiroshi Kobayashi