Patents by Inventor Akio Kimura

Akio Kimura 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: 20260058419
    Abstract: A ferrite core built-in connector is disclosed which suppresses the damage of a ferrite core and has an excellent degree of freedom in selecting a resin material to be used. A ferrite core built-in connector includes a plurality of terminal fittings each configured such that a first connecting portion and a second connecting portion are coupled by an intermediate portion having a strip plate shape, a ferrite core arranged to collectively surround the intermediate portions of the plurality of terminal fittings, and a connector housing for accommodating parts of the plurality of terminal fittings except the first and second connecting portions, and the ferrite core in an embedded state. The intermediate portions of the plurality of terminal fittings are separated from each other across a gap in a plate thickness direction and arranged to overlap each other in projection in the plate thickness direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2023
    Publication date: February 26, 2026
    Inventors: Yuki HASHIMOTO, Seido NISHIJIMA, Akio KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250379389
    Abstract: A connector assembly includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector includes a first terminal fitting projecting outward from a casing made of metal and a receptacle made of metal and projecting from the casing while surrounding the first terminal fitting. The second connector includes a second terminal fitting to be connected to the first terminal fitting, an insulating housing for accommodating the second terminal fitting and a flat plate portion made of metal and fixedly disposed on an outer surface side of the housing. In a connected state of the first and second connectors, the housing of the second connector is accommodated and arranged in the receptacle of the first connector, a contact portion of the flat plate portion is placed on and connected to a projecting end surface of the receptacle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2023
    Publication date: December 11, 2025
    Inventors: Seido NISHIJIMA, Akio KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250372926
    Abstract: A connector with a built-in ferrite core is disclosed which suppresses the damage of the ferrite core and has an excellent degree of freedom in selecting a resin material to be used. A connector 10 with a built-in ferrite core includes a terminal fitting 12, a ferrite core 14 to be arranged to surround the terminal fitting 12 and a connector housing 16 for accommodating the terminal fitting 12 and the ferrite core. The connector housing 16 includes a first resin portion 18 for holding the terminal fitting 12 in an embedded state and a second resin portion 20 for holding the first resin portion 18 and the ferrite core 14 in an embedded state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2023
    Publication date: December 4, 2025
    Inventors: Yuki HASHIMOTO, Seido NISHIJIMA, Akio KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20250226598
    Abstract: A terminal connection module includes: a first terminal including a first terminal connection portion; a second terminal including a second terminal connection portion; and a clamping member configured to clamp the first terminal connection portion and the second terminal connection portion placed in an overlapping state. The first terminal connection portion includes a first terminal contact surface and a first receiving surface, and the second terminal connection portion includes a second terminal contact surface and a second receiving surface. The clamping member includes a first clamping surface and a second clamping surface. A maximum coefficient of friction between the first terminal contact surface and the second terminal contact surface is smaller than at least one out of a maximum coefficient of friction between the first receiving surface and the first clamping surface and a maximum coefficient of friction between the second receiving surface and the second clamping surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2023
    Publication date: July 10, 2025
    Inventors: Ryoma TAKAGI, Toshiro SAKAI, Masaki NONOGAWA, Yuya TSUKAMOTO, Shuya NISHIO, Akio KIMURA
  • Patent number: 12166318
    Abstract: An electromagnetic shield connector is provided with a terminal-equipped shielded cable formed by mounting a terminal on an end of a shielded cable, an insulating inner housing including a first terminal fitting opening and a first wire insertion opening and configured to accommodate the terminal of the terminal-equipped shielded cable, a shield sleeve to be connected to a shield member of the shielded cable on the shielded cable and to be externally mounted on the shielded cable further on the side of the shielded cable than the terminal, an outer housing made of conductive metal, including a second terminal fitting opening and a second wire insertion opening, configured to accommodate the inner housing and to be connected to the shield sleeve, and a grounding portion provided on the outer housing and connectable to an external grounding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 10, 2024
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Seido Nishijima, Akio Kimura
  • Publication number: 20230261424
    Abstract: -- An electromagnetic shield connector is provided with a terminal-equipped shielded cable formed by mounting a terminal on an end of a shielded cable, an insulating inner housing including a first terminal fitting opening and a first wire insertion opening and configured to accommodate the terminal of the terminal-equipped shielded cable, a shield sleeve to be connected to a shield member of the shielded cable on the shielded cable and to be externally mounted on the shielded cable further on the side of the shielded cable than the terminal, an outer housing made of conductive metal, including a second terminal fitting opening and a second wire insertion opening, configured to accommodate the inner housing and to be connected to the shield sleeve, and a grounding portion provided on the outer housing and connectable to an external grounding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 25, 2020
    Publication date: August 17, 2023
    Inventors: Seido NISHIJIMA, Akio KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11309651
    Abstract: A terminal (10) of a connector (1) includes a case (20) and a first conductive member (40). The first conductive member (40) includes a junction (43) for connection with a mating terminal. The junction (43) is movable in the compression direction (Y) in which the coil spring (30) is compressed. The case (20) is composed of metal and includes a front wall (22) bent at a front end (21A) of the top wall (21) toward the first conductive member. The front wall (22) is at such a distance from the coil spring (30) that movement of the first conductive member (40) in the compression direction (Y) is not prevented. The front wall (22) includes a support (28) that supports one end (45) of the first conductive member on the front wall side, the one end (45) being movable in the compression direction (Y) at the support when the junction moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignees: Autonetworks Technologies, LTD, Sumitom Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Seido Nishijima
  • Patent number: 11228136
    Abstract: A wire harness including: an electric wire that includes a core wire and a covering material that covers the core wire; a connector that is attached to an end of the electric wire; and a seal that is interposed between the electric wire and the connector, wherein: the covering material includes a thin portion, which is thinner than other portions of the covering material, at a portion overlapping the seal in a radial direction, the covering material includes a distal-end non-thin portion and a proximal-end non-thin portion on two sides of the thin portion in a longitudinal direction, a first annular stepped surface is formed between the thin portion and the distal-end non-thin portion, and a second annular stepped surface is formed between the thin portion and the proximal-end non-thin portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignees: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya Kawaguchi, Masaharu Suetani, Akio Kimura
  • Patent number: 11173953
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to calibrating a steering wheel in a steering system of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the disclosed calibration system detects an object in front of the vehicle based on first data generated by one or more front sensors of the vehicle, detects the object to the rear of the vehicle based on second data generated by one or more rear sensors of the vehicle, determines a trajectory of the object based on the first data and output data from a steering wheel sensor, determines an estimate position of the object based on the trajectory, determines that the second data indicates a difference exists between the estimate position of the object and an actual position of the object, and determines a correction offset adjustment to apply to the output data from the steering wheel sensor based on the difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Coh L. Yoshizaki, Akio Kimura
  • Patent number: 11055870
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an auxiliary camera unit for a vehicle includes an image capture device, a mounting mechanism for attaching the auxiliary camera unit to the vehicle, and a communication device to wirelessly transmit data to the vehicle and receive data from the vehicle. The auxiliary camera unit further includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: a control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to set one or more operational settings for the image capture device based on a position of the auxiliary camera unit relative to the vehicle and cause the communication device to transmit a video feed from the image capture device to the vehicle according to the one or more operational settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Umesh P. Naik, Coh L. Yoshizaki, Akio Kimura
  • Publication number: 20210031831
    Abstract: System, methods, and other embodiments described herein relate to calibrating a steering wheel in a steering system of a vehicle. In one embodiment, the disclosed calibration system detects an object in front of the vehicle based on first data generated by one or more front sensors of the vehicle, detects the object to the rear of the vehicle based on second data generated by one or more rear sensors of the vehicle, determines a trajectory of the object based on the first data and output data from a steering wheel sensor, determines an estimate position of the object based on the trajectory, determines that the second data indicates a difference exists between the estimate position of the object and an actual position of the object, and determines a correction offset adjustment to apply to the output data from the steering wheel sensor based on the difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2019
    Publication date: February 4, 2021
    Inventors: Coh L. Yoshizaki, Akio Kimura
  • Patent number: 10910752
    Abstract: A large-current terminal (30) includes a male terminal (50) having a male-side contact surface (54), a female terminal (60) having a female-side contact surface (64), a coil spring (70) including male-side contacts (72) for contacting the male-side contact surface (54) and female-side contacts (71) for contacting the female-side contact surface (64). A spring holder (40) holds the coils spring (70) and includes male-side and female-side openings (44, 45) for exposing the male-side and female-side contacts (72, 71). The coil spring (70) is compressed in a facing direction of the contact surfaces (54, 64) by disposing the male-side contact surface (54) to face both the female-side contact surface (64) and the male-side openings (44) with the female-side contact surface (64) directed toward the female-side openings (45). The spring holder (40) is movable such that the female-side opening (45) approaches the female-side contact surface (64) as the coil spring (70) is compressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 2, 2021
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Kyohei Ida
  • Publication number: 20210027482
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an auxiliary camera unit for a vehicle includes an image capture device, a mounting mechanism for attaching the auxiliary camera unit to the vehicle, and a communication device to wirelessly transmit data to the vehicle and receive data from the vehicle. The auxiliary camera unit further includes one or more processors and a memory communicably coupled to the one or more processors and storing: a control module including instructions that when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to set one or more operational settings for the image capture device based on a position of the auxiliary camera unit relative to the vehicle and cause the communication device to transmit a video feed from the image capture device to the vehicle according to the one or more operational settings.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Umesh P. Naik, Coh L. Yoshizaki, Akio Kimura
  • Publication number: 20210013669
    Abstract: A wire harness including: an electric wire that includes a core wire and a covering material that covers the core wire; a connector that is attached to an end of the electric wire; and a seal that is interposed between the electric wire and the connector, wherein: the covering material includes a thin portion, which is thinner than other portions of the covering material, at a portion overlapping the seal in a radial direction, the covering material includes a distal-end non-thin portion and a proximal-end non-thin portion on two sides of the thin portion in a longitudinal direction, a first annular stepped surface is formed between the thin portion and the distal-end non-thin portion, and a second annular stepped surface is formed between the thin portion and the proximal-end non-thin portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2019
    Publication date: January 14, 2021
    Applicants: AUTONETWORKS TECHNOLOGIES, LTD., SUMITOMO WIRING SYSTEMS, LTD., SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Tomoya KAWAGUCHI, Masaharu SUETANI, Akio KIMURA
  • Publication number: 20200343665
    Abstract: A terminal (10) of a connector (1) includes a case (20) and a first conductive member (40). The first conductive member (40) includes a junction (43) for connection with a mating terminal. The junction (43) is movable in the compression direction (Y) in which the coil spring (30) is compressed. The case (20) is composed of metal and includes a front wall (22) bent at a front end (21A) of the top wall (21) toward the first conductive member. The front wall (22) is at such a distance from the coil spring (30) that movement of the first conductive member (40) in the compression direction (Y) is not prevented. The front wall (22) includes a support (28) that supports one end (45) of the first conductive member on the front wall side, the one end (45) being movable in the compression direction (Y) at the support when the junction moves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 8, 2020
    Publication date: October 29, 2020
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Seido Nishijima
  • Patent number: 10770817
    Abstract: A terminal module includes an electrical contact having a body (30) configured to face a butting portion (82) on a mating terminal, oriented such that a coil axis (P) is parallel to the body (30) of the electrical contact member and configured to be sandwiched between the mating terminal and the electrical contact (20) to be tilted toward the coil axis (P) when the mating terminal and the electrical contact (20) approach. At least one of a facing surface (31) on the body (30) of the electrical contact (20) on which the obliquely wound coil spring (60) slides and a contact surface (81) on the butting portion (82) of the mating terminal on which the obliquely wound coil spring (60) slides is formed into an uneven surface for increasing frictional resistance during sliding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Kyohei Ida
  • Patent number: 10734745
    Abstract: A terminal (10) of a connector (1) includes a case (20) and a first conductive member (40). The first conductive member (40) includes a junction (43) for connection with a mating terminal. The junction (43) is movable in the compression direction (Y) in which the coil spring (30) is compressed. The case (20) is composed of metal and includes a front wall (22) bent at a front end (21A) of the top wall (21) toward the first conductive member. The front wall (22) is at such a distance from the coil spring (30) that movement of the first conductive member (40) in the compression direction (Y) is not prevented. The front wall (22) includes a support (28) that supports one end (45) of the first conductive member on the front wall side, the one end (45) being movable in the compression direction (Y) at the support when the junction moves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Seido Nishijima
  • Patent number: 10644426
    Abstract: A connector (C) includes a flat terminal (20), an obliquely wound coil spring (10) wound around a winding axis (A) that is parallel to the terminal (20) with the coil spring (10) sandwiched between the terminal (20) and a flat mating terminal (71). A connector housing (30) accommodates the terminal (20) and the coil spring (10) and includes an insertion path (37) for the mating terminal (71) to be parallel to the terminal (20). A rotation restricting portion (33) is in the connector housing (30) and restricts the coil spring (10) in a rotation posture to tilt with respect to the winding axis (A) such that a mating terminal side of a half-turn winding plane and a straight line connecting a start point (P1) and an end point (P2) of the half turn is on a back side in an inserting direction of the mating terminal (71).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Kyohei Ida
  • Patent number: 10622743
    Abstract: A terminal module (10) includes an electrical contact member (11) having a coil holding surface (12F) configured to face a contact surface (62F) provided on a mating terminal (61), a conductive obliquely wound coil spring (21) and a holder (31) configured to hold the obliquely wound coil spring (21) by being assembled with the electrical contact member (11). The holder (31) includes a holder body (32) configured to hold the obliquely wound coil spring (21) along the coil holding surface (12F) and having a window portion (35) configured to expose the obliquely wound coil spring (21) toward a side opposite to the coil holding surface (12F), and locking pieces (39) continuous from the holder body (32) and configured to engage the electrical contact member (11).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2020
    Assignees: AutoNetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Systems, Ltd., Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Seido Nishijima
  • Publication number: 20200099158
    Abstract: A large-current terminal (30) includes a male terminal (50) having a male-side contact surface (54), a female terminal (60) having a female-side contact surface (64), a coil spring (70) including male-side contacts (72) for contacting the male-side contact surface (54) and female-side contacts (71) for contacting the female-side contact surface (64). A spring holder (40) holds the coils spring (70) and includes male-side and female-side openings (44, 45) for exposing the male-side and female-side contacts (72,71). The coil spring (70) is compressed in a facing direction of the contact surfaces (54, 64) by disposing the male-side contact surface (54) to face both the female-side contact surface (64) and the male-side openings (44) with the female-side contact surface (64) directed toward the female-side openings (45). The spring holder (40) is movable such that the female-side opening (45) approaches the female-side contact surface (64) as the coil spring (70) is compressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2018
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Akio Kimura, Kyohei Ida