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).

  • Publication number: 20200180567
    Abstract: A vehicle cleaner system that includes a single pump and a plurality of cleaners which are connected to the single pump and clean different cleaning target objects with a cleaning medium is disclosed. The cleaning target objects include a sensor which detects information on outside of a vehicle and a cleaner control unit which operates the plurality of cleaners in accordance with input of a signal. The cleaner control unit is capable of operating the plurality of cleaners such that cleaning methods of the plurality of cleaners are different from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2018
    Publication date: June 11, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaru Sakai, Masayuki Kondo, Kazuki Kawamura, Akinobu Kubota
  • Patent number: 10661761
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device of the present invention is 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: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kimura, Junji Baba, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20200139939
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2018
    Publication date: May 7, 2020
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Masayuki Kondo, Kazuki Kawamura, Masaru Sakai
  • Patent number: 10604122
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device 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 a vehicle. The foreign matter removal device includes a generation unit configured to generate high-pressure air and a nozzle unit (2) having a nozzle (22) configured to inject the high-pressure air toward the lens (101) and an attachment part (21) formed integrally with the nozzle (22) and attachable to a housing (102) of the in-vehicle camera (100). A tip end of the nozzle (22) is positioned with respect to the lens (101) in a state where the attachment part (21) is attached to the housing (102).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa, Hiroaki Kimura, Junji Baba
  • Patent number: 10587784
    Abstract: A cleaner includes a high-pressure air generation unit and a nozzle. The high-pressure air generation unit includes a cylinder, a piston supported to the cylinder to be freely moveable and deliver the high-pressure air toward the nozzle, an urging spring urges the piston, and a movement mechanism which moves the piston to a predetermined position. The movement mechanism comprises a worm which rotate by a driving unit, and a worm wheel meshed with the worm and which rotate in association with rotation of the worm. The worm wheel comprises a pinion having gear teeth protruding from an outer periphery thereof. The piston is coupled with a rack having rack teeth which mesh with the gear teeth, and wherein an interval between each gear tooth of the gear teeth and one adjacent gear tooth is different from an interval between each gear tooth and the other adjacent gear tooth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akinobu Kubota
  • Patent number: 10556571
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device of the present invention includes a high-pressure air generation unit (5) that includes a generation unit having a drive source and configured to generate high-pressure air using the drive source, and a housing (51) covering the generation unit, and a plate-shaped adhesive member (71) that includes an adhesion layer (71B) elastically deformable along at least a part of a surface shape of a back door panel (200a) constituting the vehicle. The housing (51) is attached to the back door panel (200a) via the adhesive member (71) in surface contact with the back door panel (200a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Junji Baba, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
  • Patent number: 10549724
    Abstract: An ejection nozzle member attached to a vehicle-mounted camera is formed from an elastic material, and includes a cover member mounted on an upper surface of a casing, the cover member having therein an air passage to which compressed air is supplied. A pair of seal members are formed in an air ejecting unit, from which the compressed air is ejected, on outer sides of the air passage in a widthwise direction. The seal members are formed in lip shapes, protruding downward and toward the center in the widthwise direction on a side of the air passage. When the ejection nozzle member is attached to the camera, distal ends of the seal members are placed in contact mutually on the side of the air passage, and are pressed toward the casing by the compressed air that flows in the air passage to thereby be placed in intimate contact therewith.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignees: HONDA ACCESS CORP., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Mitsunari, Kazuki Hikawa, Takumi Yonezawa, Akinobu Kubota
  • Publication number: 20190359180
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2019
    Publication date: November 28, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20190337490
    Abstract: A vehicular cleaner system (1) for cleaning a to-be-cleaned object (100), wherein: the vehicular cleaner system (1) is provided with a tank (11) that accommodates a cleaning liquid, a pump (12) that pressure-feeds the cleaning liquid inside the tank (11), a high-pressure-air generation unit (2) that generates high-pressure air, a first ejection port that sprays the cleaning liquid toward a cleaning surface of the to-be-cleaned object (100), a second ejection port that sprays the high-pressure air toward the cleaning surface, and a controller (4) and vehicle ECU (40) that control the spraying of the cleaning liquid and the spraying of the high-pressure air; and the controller (4) and the vehicle ECU (40) perform control so as to initiate the spraying of the high-pressure air from the second ejection port after spraying of the cleaning liquid from the first ejection port has been initiated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2017
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuki KAWAMURA, Masayuki KONDO, Hikaru NAGAI, Akinobu KUBOTA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 10436186
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20190086773
    Abstract: 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 (4) comprising a housing (2) having an opening and a light transmitting cover (3) for closing the opening; and a camera module (31) arranged inside the outer casing. A part of the light transmitting cover is provided as a transmission window (23a) through which imaging light incident on the camera module is transmitted and a restriction part (27) for restricting the inflow of water droplets toward the transmission window is provided to the light transmitting cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toshihiro OKAMURA, Naoki TATARA, Akinobu KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20180251100
    Abstract: An ejection nozzle member attached to a vehicle-mounted camera is formed from an elastic material, and includes a cover member mounted on an upper surface of a casing, the cover member having therein an air passage to which compressed air is supplied. A pair of seal members are formed in an air ejecting unit, from which the compressed air is ejected, on outer sides of the air passage in a widthwise direction. The seal members are formed in lip shapes, protruding downward and toward the center in the widthwise direction on a side of the air passage. When the ejection nozzle member is attached to the camera, distal ends of the seal members are placed in contact mutually on the side of the air passage, and are pressed toward the casing by the compressed air that flows in the air passage to thereby be placed in intimate contact therewith.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2018
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicants: Honda Access Corp., KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Mitsunari, Kazuki Hikawa, Takumi Yonezawa, Akinobu Kubota
  • Publication number: 20180194330
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Akinobu KUBOTA
  • Publication number: 20180194331
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device of the present invention includes a high-pressure air generation unit (5) that includes a generation unit having a drive source and configured to generate high-pressure air using the drive source, and a housing (51) covering the generation unit, and a plate-shaped adhesive member (71) that includes an adhesion layer (71B) elastically deformable along at least a part of a surface shape of a back door panel (200a) constituting the vehicle. The housing (51) is attached to the back door panel (200a) via the adhesive member (71) in surface contact with the back door panel (200a).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2016
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Junji BABA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180186341
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device of the present invention is 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: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki KIMURA, Junji BABA, Akinobu KUBOTA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20180186342
    Abstract: A foreign matter removal device 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 a vehicle. The foreign matter removal device includes a generation unit configured to generate high-pressure air and a nozzle unit (2) having a nozzle (22) configured to inject the high-pressure air toward the lens (101) and an attachment part (21) formed integrally with the nozzle (22) and attachable to a housing (102) of the in-vehicle camera (100). A tip end of the nozzle (22) is positioned with respect to the lens (101) in a state where the attachment part (21) is attached to the housing (102).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA, Hiroaki KIMURA, Junji BABA
  • Publication number: 20180167536
    Abstract: A cleaner includes a high-pressure air generation unit and a nozzle. The high-pressure air generation unit includes a cylinder, a piston supported to the cylinder to be freely moveable and deliver the high-pressure air toward the nozzle, an urging spring urges the piston, and a movement mechanism which moves the piston to a predetermined position. The movement mechanism comprises a worm which rotate by a driving unit, and a worm wheel meshed with the worm and which rotate in association with rotation of the worm. The worm wheel comprises a pinion having gear teeth protruding from an outer periphery thereof. The piston is coupled with a rack having rack teeth which mesh with the gear teeth, and wherein an interval between each gear tooth of the gear teeth and one adjacent gear tooth is different from an interval between each gear tooth and the other adjacent gear tooth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Akinobu Kubota
  • Publication number: 20170355353
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 14, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takayuki Kato, Takayoshi Mochizuki, Akinobu Kubota, Yasuhiro Ichikawa
  • Publication number: 20170028968
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2015
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Applicant: KOITO MANUFACTURING CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Akinobu KUBOTA, Yasuhiro ICHIKAWA
  • Patent number: 8262374
    Abstract: A motor pump for a headlamp cleaner includes a motor, a control circuit board for driving the motor, an impeller rotatable by the motor, a plurality of terminal pieces adapted to be coupled to an outside connector, and a casing. The casing includes a pump chamber having a washer fluid suction port and a discharge port and inside which the impeller is accommodated, a motor housing chamber disposed above the pump chamber and inside which the motor is accommodated, a board housing chamber inside which the control circuit board is accommodated, and a connector portion extending outwardly in a cylindrical shape and inside which the plurality of terminal pieces extends. The connector portion is provided such that one of the terminal pieces is directly coupled to the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Koito Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Nakazawa, Akinobu Kubota, Masaaki Sato, Takanori Haraki