Patents by Inventor Akinobu Kubota
Akinobu Kubota 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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Publication number: 20230031726Abstract: A sensor unit to be mounted on a vehicle, the sensor unit includes: a LiDAR; a housing configured to accommodate the LiDAR; and a cleaner attached to the housing and including a first nozzle configured to jet air at a first surface to be cleaned corresponding to the LiDAR and a second nozzle configured to jet a cleaning liquid at the first surface to be cleaned. The first nozzle is disposed above the second nozzle, a jetting direction of the air from the first nozzle is a direction that is parallel to a horizontal direction or a direction that is more downward-trending than the horizontal direction, and a jetting direction of the cleaning liquid from the second nozzle is a direction that is more upward-trending than the horizontal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2020Publication date: February 2, 2023Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Taishi HACHIYA
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Patent number: 11535203Abstract: Provided is an air cleaner for vehicles, configured so that objects to be cleaned can be easily maintained in as clean state. This fair cleaner (1) for vehicles is provided with: ejection openings (20, 30) for ejecting air toward the surfaces (21, 31) to be cleaned of objects (2, 3) to be cleaned and a non-positive displacement blower means (10) for continuously delivering air to the ejection openings (20, 30).Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 27, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO.. LTD.Inventors: Takahiro Matsunaga, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20220390568Abstract: A sensor system to be mounted on a vehicle includes a LiDAR, a camera, a housing that accommodates the LiDAR and the camera and a cleaner that is attached to the housing and has at least one nozzle configured to clean a first cleaning target surface corresponding to the LiDAR and a second cleaning target surface corresponding to the camera at the same time using a cleaning medium.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2020Publication date: December 8, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Taishi HACHIYA, Masaaki SATO, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Toshihisa HAYAMI, Yusuke TOTSUKA, Masayuki MIWA
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Patent number: 11505163Abstract: A foreign matter removal device that removes foreign matters adhering to a lens (101) included in an in-vehicle camera (100), including a camera bracket (91) that attaches the in-vehicle camera (100) to a rear bumper panel (200b) of a vehicle in a state in which the lens (101) is exposed toward the outside of the rear bumper panel (200b) of the vehicle, a high-pressure air generation unit disposed inside the rear bumper panel (200b) and configured to generate high-pressure air, and a nozzle unit provided with a nozzle (22) that injects the high-pressure air toward the lens (101), wherein a through-hole (92) is formed in the camera bracket (91), and the high-pressure air generated by the high-pressure air generation unit passes from the inside to the outside of the rear bumper panel (200b) through the through-hole (92), and is injected from the nozzle (22) toward the lens (101).Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2020Date of Patent: November 22, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki Kimura, Junji Baba, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
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Patent number: 11427163Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a window washer configured to clean a front window of a vehicle; a lamp cleaner configured to clean a headlamp; a sensor cleaner configured to clean a sensor that detects information outside the vehicle; and a cleaner control unit configured to operate at least one of the window washer, the lamp cleaner, and the sensor cleaner in accordance with input of a signal. The cleaner control unit is configured to operate the window washer, the lamp cleaner, and the sensor cleaner such that at least two or more of a number of operations of the window washer, a number of operations of the lamp cleaner, and a number of operations of the sensor cleaner are different in accordance with a predetermined number of signals.Type: GrantFiled: June 12, 2018Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Masayuki Kondo, Kazuki Kawamura, Masaru Sakai
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Patent number: 11414054Abstract: An electromagnetic valve includes a solenoid; a sealing portion provided on a movable element; an urging member; a first pipe including a first outlet side end portion; and a second pipe including an inlet side end portion and a second outlet side end portion. The first pipe includes a receiving seat being in close contact with the sealing portion. In a first state where the sealing portion is separated from the receiving seat, a liquid flows to the first outlet side end portion. In a second state where the sealing portion is in close contact with the receiving seat, the liquid flows to the second outlet side end portion and does not flow to the first outlet side end portion, and a pressing force by the urging member and a hydrostatic pressure of the liquid in the merging portion act to press the sealing portion against the receiving seat.Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2019Date of Patent: August 16, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Masaaki Sato
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Publication number: 20220227333Abstract: A vehicular air curtain device configured to send continuously, based on an operation signal, air to a sensor or a sensor cover mounted on a vehicle at a predetermined wind speed or a predetermined air flow rate in order to prevent dirt from adhering to the sensor or the sensor cover, the vehicular air curtain device includes: an air blowing mechanism; a motor configured to drive the air blowing mechanism; and an air curtain control unit configured to change a drive voltage or a drive current of the motor in accordance with a predetermined condition.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2020Publication date: July 21, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takahiro MATSUNAGA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaaki SATO, Masaru SAKAI, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Kazuhiro SUZUKI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Toshihisa HAYAMI
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Publication number: 20220176916Abstract: Of the moving directions of the piston, the direction in which high-pressure air is delivered is a delivery direction, and the direction in the opposite direction from the delivery direction is a force accumulation direction. The piston is moved in the force accumulation direction by the moving mechanism, and moved in the delivery direction by the biasing force of the biasing spring in response to the release of the moving force exerted by the moving mechanism. The cylinder is provided with: a piston supporting portion that supports the piston; and a connection protrusion that has a delivery path for delivering the high-pressure air to the nozzle. The inner surface of an end of the piston supporting portion in the delivery direction is formed as a closed surface. The delivery path is located further toward the force accumulation direction than the closed surface is.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 14, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takayuki Kato, Takayoshi Mochizuki, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20220097658Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system according to the present invention includes: cleaner units that eject cleaning fluid to on-vehicle objects to be cleaned; motor pumps that supply the cleaning fluid to the cleaner units; normally closed solenoid valves provided between the cleaner units and the motor pumps to switch between allowance and disallowance of the transfer of the cleaning fluid from the motor pumps to the cleaner units; and a cleaner control unit that controls the motor pumps and the solenoid valves. The cleaner control unit sets an operation stop time t2, for which at least one of a motor pump and a solenoid valve is stopped, and stops, on the basis of a predetermined condition, the operation of the at least one of the motor pump and the solenoid valve for the duration of the operation stop time t2 after the cleaning fluid is ejected to the object to be cleaned.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2020Publication date: March 31, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Hikaru NAGAI, Akinobu KUBOTA, Kazuki KAWAMURA, Toshihisa HAYAMI, Yusuke FUNAMI, Yoshio ITO, Kazuhiro SUZUKI
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Publication number: 20220063567Abstract: A vehicle cleaner unit is configured to clean a cleaning object mounted near a bumper or a grille of a vehicle. The vehicle cleaner unit includes a blower configured to be attached to a rear surface of the bumper or the grille. The bumper or the grille is provided with an air outlet for jetting air blown from the blower toward the cleaning object.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 19, 2019Publication date: March 3, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Yoshiaki Fushimi
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Patent number: 11252338Abstract: A left infrared camera module includes a left infrared irradiation unit configured to emit infrared toward a left side region of a vehicle, a left infrared camera configured to acquire infrared image data indicative of a surrounding environment in the left side region of the vehicle, and a control unit configured to control an operation of the left infrared irradiation unit. The control unit is configured to change an intensity of the infrared to be emitted from the left infrared irradiation unit, in correspondence to a condition relating to a traveling state of the vehicle. The left infrared camera module configured as described above can detect the surrounding environment in the side region of the vehicle without causing an uncomfortable feeling to other vehicle, a pedestrian and the like.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2019Date of Patent: February 15, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao Muramatsu, Shigeyuki Watanabe, Masaaki Sato, Akinobu Kubota
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Publication number: 20220024422Abstract: A camera module shoots a satisfactory image by suppressing the adherence of water droplets to a part in a light transmitting cover through which imaging light is transmitted. Provided are an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a light transmitting cover for closing the opening; and a camera module arranged inside the outer casing. A part of the light transmitting cover is provided as a transmission window through which imaging light incident on the camera module is transmitted and a restriction part for restricting the inflow of water droplets toward the transmission window is provided to the light transmitting cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2021Publication date: January 27, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshihiro Okamura, Naoki Tatara, Akinobu Kubota
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Patent number: 11230271Abstract: Of moving directions of a piston, the direction in which high-pressure air is delivered is a delivery direction, and the direction in the opposite direction from the delivery direction is a force accumulation direction. The piston is moved in the force accumulation direction by the moving mechanism, and moved in the delivery direction by the biasing force of the biasing spring in response to the release of the moving force exerted by the moving mechanism. The cylinder is provided with: a piston supporting portion that supports the piston; and a connection protrusion that has a delivery path for delivering the high-pressure air to the nozzle. The inner surface of an end of the piston supporting portion in the delivery direction is formed as a closed surface. The delivery path is located further toward the force accumulation direction than the closed surface is.Type: GrantFiled: November 27, 2015Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takayuki Kato, Takayoshi Mochizuki, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
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Patent number: 11225224Abstract: Structural simplification and efficient injection state of high-pressure air from a nozzle are ensured. A foreign material removal device is provided with: a cylinder (18) into which air is caused to flow; a piston (22) which is movably supported in the cylinder and feeds the air introduced into the cylinder in a feeding direction as high-pressure air; and a nozzle (6) which injects the high-pressure air fed by the piston. Thus, the piston is moved relative to the cylinder, the high-pressure air is fed from the cylinder, and the high-pressure air is injected from the nozzle, whereby structural simplification and an efficient injection state of the high-pressure air from the nozzle can be ensured.Type: GrantFiled: August 13, 2019Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20220014650Abstract: A left infrared camera module provided in a vehicle includes: a left infrared emitting unit configured to emit infrared rays toward an outside, and a left infrared camera configured to acquire infrared image data indicating a surrounding environment of the vehicle. The left infrared emitting unit and the left infrared camera are mounted on a left C-pillar of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2019Publication date: January 13, 2022Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Takao MURAMATSU, Shigeyuki WATANABE, Masaaki SATO, Akinobu KUBOTA
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Publication number: 20210362688Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system includes: a cleaner unit configured to be mounted on a vehicle and to discharge a cleaning liquid to an external sensor that acquires information outside the vehicle so as to clean the external sensor; and a cleaner control unit configured to control the cleaner unit. The cleaner control unit is configured to acquire vehicle speed information related to a traveling speed of the vehicle, and control the cleaner unit such that at least one of a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid, a discharge amount of the cleaning liquid per unit time, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid, the number of times of discharge of the cleaning liquid per unit time, and a discharge time of the cleaning liquid varies according to the vehicle speed information.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 6, 2019Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Kazuki KAWAMURA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Masaru SAKAI, Masaaki SATO
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Publication number: 20210362689Abstract: A foreign matter removal device (1) is configured to remove foreign matters on a lens (101) of an in-vehicle camera (100) attached to a vehicle so that the lens (101) of the in-vehicle camera (100) is exposed toward an outside of a body panel of the vehicle. The foreign matter removal device includes a single-cylinder type reciprocating pump (5) configured to generate high-pressure air and a nozzle (22) configured to inject the high-pressure air toward the lens (101). A volume of an internal space of the pump is 10 cm3 or less. Exhaust time (t1) per cycle required for exhausting the air in the internal space is 0.03 seconds or less.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 5, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Akinobu KUBOTA
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Patent number: 11167731Abstract: A camera module shoots a satisfactory image by suppressing the adherence of water droplets to a part in a light transmitting cover through which imaging light is transmitted. Provided are an outer casing comprising a housing having an opening and a light transmitting cover for closing the opening; and a camera module arranged inside the outer casing. A part of the light transmitting cover is provided as a transmission window through which imaging light incident on the camera module is transmitted and a restriction part for restricting the inflow of water droplets toward the transmission window is provided to the light transmitting cover.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 2017Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: KOITO MANUFACIURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshihiro Okamura, Naoki Tatara, Akinobu Kubota
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Patent number: 11155244Abstract: A foreign matter removal device (1) is configured to remove foreign matters on a lens (101) of an in-vehicle camera (100) attached to a vehicle so that the lens (101) of the in-vehicle camera (100) is exposed toward an outside of a body panel of the vehicle. The foreign matter removal device includes a single-cylinder type reciprocating pump (5) configured to generate high-pressure air and a nozzle (22) configured to inject the high-pressure air toward the lens (101). A volume of an internal space of the pump is 10 cm3 or less. Exhaust time (t1) per cycle required for exhausting the air in the internal space is 0.03 seconds or less.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2016Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yasuhiro Ichikawa, Akinobu Kubota
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Publication number: 20210229638Abstract: A camera unit is configured to capture an image of an outside area of a vehicle. A translucent cover covers the camera unit. A first air cleaner is configured to jet gas toward an area on the translucent cover located within an angle of view of the camera unit. The first cleaner is located above the area in an up-down direction of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 9, 2019Publication date: July 29, 2021Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuichi WATANO, Shigeyuki WATANABE, Akinobu KUBOTA