Patents by Inventor Akira Sugiura

Akira Sugiura 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: 20240126076
    Abstract: A head-up display device includes: an indicator dimmed by duty ratio control and configured to emit display light; a mirror member rotatable about a rotation shaft and configured to reflect the display light from the indicator to project a display image; a control unit configured to control the dimming of the indicator and the rotation of the mirror member; and a temperature sensor configured to output a signal corresponding to an ambient temperature around the indicator. The control unit includes: a temperature prediction unit configured to predict a temperature of the indicator, and a failure avoidance unit configured to execute lowering an upper limit of the duty ratio or rotation control of the mirror member for reducing the amount of sunlight that enters the indicator through the mirror member when the predicted temperature of the indicator is greater than or equal to a threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Yusuke Sugiura, Akira Yamanaka, Yuta Miyake, Naohisa Murata, Hiroshi Sano
  • Patent number: 11953059
    Abstract: A speed reducer is configured to reduce a rotational speed of rotation generated by torque received from a drive device and output the torque of the rotation of the reduced rotational speed. A drive cam has a plurality of drive cam grooves formed at one end surface of the drive cam and is rotated by the torque outputted from the speed reducer. A driven cam has a plurality of driven cam grooves formed at one end surface of the driven cam while each of the plurality of rolling elements is clamped between a corresponding one of the plurality of drive cam grooves and a corresponding one of the plurality of driven cam grooves. At least a part of each of the plurality of drive cam grooves overlaps with the speed reducer in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Ishibashi, Akira Takagi, Takumi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 11940012
    Abstract: A normal-time drive cam groove extends from a drive cam specific point, which is defined as a specific point of the drive cam, toward one side in a circumferential direction of the drive cam. A groove bottom at the normal-time drive cam groove is sloped relative to one end surface of the drive cam such that a depth of the groove bottom continuously decreases from the drive cam specific point toward the one side in the circumferential direction of the drive cam. An emergency-time drive cam groove extends from the drive cam specific point toward another side in the circumferential direction of the drive cam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Takagi, Ryo Ishibashi, Takumi Sugiura
  • Patent number: 10749332
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection apparatus that protects, from overcurrent, a load circuit including an electric load and wiring electrically connected with each other is provided. The overcurrent protection apparatus includes: a semiconductor switching element that is configured to control energization to the load circuit; and a breaker that stops the semiconductor switching element upon detection of abnormality of overheat or overcurrent at the semiconductor switching element, the breaker having a latch operation mode of continuously stopping the semiconductor switching element even upon cancellation of abnormality detection, and a retry operation mode of canceling stoppage of the semiconductor switching element upon the cancellation of the abnormality detection. The breaker is configured to initially operate in the latch operation mode upon the abnormality detection, and then be switched to the retry operation mode after satisfaction of a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2020
    Assignees: ANDEN CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazunori Ozawa, Akira Sugiura, Shinji Oshita, Kenichi Takayoshi
  • Patent number: 10280817
    Abstract: In a variable valve mechanism, during switching from a disconnected state to a connected state, the switch arm being displaced in a return direction comes in sliding contact with a pin end surface of the switch pin, and presses the pin end surface toward the disconnected position to push back the switch pin. At a sliding contact start time, the switch arm sliding contacts a portion of the pin end surface on a return direction side with respect to an idle-swing-side edge. At least during a period from a 10% position time to a sliding contact end time, a position of a pressed center relative to the pin end surface shifts toward the return direction side without stopping as the switch arm is displaced toward the return direction relative to a main arm, so that the sliding contact ends without stopping of the pressed center at a return-side edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Maezako, Akira Sugiura
  • Patent number: 10260381
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism includes a rocker arm including a first input arm, a second input arm, and an output arm, and a switch device that switches an operating state to a first state by coupling only the first input arm to the output arm, and switches the operating state to a second state by coupling only the second input arm to the output arm. The switch device includes two pins that are displaceably placed in the rocker arm and contact each other at their end faces, and a displacement device that switches the operating state to the first state by displacing a contact portion between the two pins to between the output arm and the second input arm, and switches the operating state to the second state by displacing the contact portion between the two pins to between the output arm and the first input arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Sugiura, Koki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10262822
    Abstract: A load drive apparatus includes: a first drive element that drives a first load; a second drive element that drives a second load; a control circuit that controls the first drive element and the second drive element; a power supply circuit that supplies electric power; and a failsafe circuit that includes an abnormality detection portion detecting whether an abnormality occurs in at least one of the control circuit and the power supply circuit, the failsafe circuit controlling the first drive element and the second drive element to drive the first load and the second load when the abnormality detection portion has detected that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the control circuit and the power supply circuit and also when the load drive apparatus receives at least one of a command directing a drive of the first load and a command directing a drive of the second load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignees: ANDEN CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira Sugiura, Nobutomo Takagi, Fukuo Ishikawa, Shinji Oshita, Kenichi Takayoshi
  • Patent number: 10240489
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes a camshaft having a general shaft part and a cam part arranged next to each other in an axial direction, an input arm that swings when pressed by the cam part, an output arm that is swingably mounted and that drives a valve when swinging, and a switch device that switches the variable valve mechanism between a coupled state where the input arm and the output arm are coupled to swing together and an uncoupled state. The output arm has a great height so that clearance between the output arm and the general shaft part is 3 mm or less when the variable valve mechanism is in the coupled state and the valve is closed. If the output arm bounces in the uncoupled state, the output arm comes into contact with the general shaft part through the clearance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Takayuki Maezako, Akira Sugiura
  • Patent number: 10221728
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism includes an input arm that axially supports a roller pressed by a cam, via a roller pin, an output arm that drives a valve when swinging, a switch device that switches the variable valve mechanism between a coupled state where the both arms are coupled and an uncoupled state where the arms are uncoupled from each other, and a lost motion spring that biases the roller against the cam when in the uncoupled state. The lost motion spring includes an extended portion extending in an inter-arm clearance between the input arm and the output arm. An end of the roller pin projects from the input arm into the inter-arm clearance by such a length that the end is accommodated in the inter-arm clearance and that allows a spring retaining portion to be formed in the end. The spring retaining portion is formed in the end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Akira Sugiura, Koki Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10167745
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes an outer arm, an inner arm, a switching device that switches between a coupled state and a non-coupled state, and a lost motion spring. The lost motion spring has an extending portion extending from the outside of the space to the inside of the space. The extending portion has a contact portion that is in contact with the inner arm in the space and being configured to swing in conjunction with swinging of the inner arm. A through-hole is formed in a vertically intermediate portion of the outer arm such that connecting portions are provided at vertically opposite sides of the through-hole, and a portion of the extending portion, a swinging amount of which is smaller than that of the contact portion, passes through the through-hole that allows the portion to swing therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Akira Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20180195421
    Abstract: In a variable valve mechanism, during switching from a disconnected state to a connected state, the switch arm being displaced in a return direction comes in sliding contact with a pin end surface of the switch pin, and presses the pin end surface toward the disconnected position to push back the switch pin. At a sliding contact start time, the switch arm sliding contacts a portion of the pin end surface on a return direction side with respect to an idle-swing-side edge. At least during a period from a 10% position time to a sliding contact end time, a position of a pressed center relative to the pin end surface shifts toward the return direction side without stopping as the switch arm is displaced toward the return direction relative to a main arm, so that the sliding contact ends without stopping of the pressed center at a return-side edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2017
    Publication date: July 12, 2018
    Inventors: Takayuki MAEZAKO, Akira SUGIURA
  • Publication number: 20180145501
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection apparatus that protects, from overcurrent, a load circuit including an electric load and wiring electrically connected with each other is provided. The overcurrent protection apparatus includes: a semiconductor switching element that is configured to control energization to the load circuit; and a breaker that stops the semiconductor switching element upon detection of abnormality of overheat or overcurrent at the semiconductor switching element, the breaker having a latch operation mode of continuously stopping the semiconductor switching element even upon cancellation of abnormality detection, and a retry operation mode of canceling stoppage of the semiconductor switching element upon the cancellation of the abnormality detection. The breaker is configured to initially operate in the latch operation mode upon the abnormality detection, and then be switched to the retry operation mode after satisfaction of a predetermined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2017
    Publication date: May 24, 2018
    Inventors: Kazunori OZAWA, Akira SUGIURA, Shinji OSHITA, Kenichi TAKAYOSHI
  • Publication number: 20180045083
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism includes a rocker arm including a first input arm, a second input arm, and an output arm, and a switch device that switches an operating state to a first state by coupling only the first input arm to the output arm, and switches the operating state to a second state by coupling only the second input arm to the output arm. The switch device includes two pins that are displaceably placed in the rocker arm and contact each other at their end faces, and a displacement device that switches the operating state to the first state by displacing a contact portion between the two pins to between the output arm and the second input arm, and switches the operating state to the second state by displacing the contact portion between the two pins to between the output arm and the first input arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2017
    Publication date: February 15, 2018
    Inventors: Akira SUGIURA, Koki YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170350282
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism includes an input arm that axially supports a roller pressed by a cam, via a roller pin, an output arm that drives a valve when swinging, a switch device that switches the variable valve mechanism between a coupled state where the both arms are coupled and an uncoupled state where the arms are uncoupled from each other, and a lost motion spring that biases the roller against the cam when in the uncoupled state. The lost motion spring includes an extended portion extending in an inter-arm clearance between the input arm and the output arm. An end of the roller pin projects from the input arm into the inter-arm clearance by such a length that the end is accommodated in the inter-arm clearance and that allows a spring retaining portion to be formed in the end. The spring retaining portion is formed in the end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SUZUKI, Akira SUGIURA, Koki YAMAGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20170268386
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes an outer arm, an inner arm, a switching device that switches between a coupled state and a non-coupled state, and a lost motion spring. The lost motion spring has an extending portion extending from the outside of the space to the inside of the space. The extending portion has a contact portion that is in contact with the inner arm in the space and being configured to swing in conjunction with swinging of the inner arm. A through-hole is formed in a vertically intermediate portion of the outer arm such that connecting portions are provided at vertically opposite sides of the through-hole, and a portion of the extending portion, a swinging amount of which is smaller than that of the contact portion, passes through the through-hole that allows the portion to swing therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Suzuki, Akira Sugiura
  • Publication number: 20170218794
    Abstract: A variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine includes a camshaft having a general shaft part and a cam part arranged next to each other in an axial direction, an input arm that swings when pressed by the cam part, an output arm that is swingably mounted and that drives a valve when swinging, and a switch device that switches the variable valve mechanism between a coupled state where the input arm and the output arm are coupled to swing together and an uncoupled state. The output arm has a great height so that clearance between the output arm and the general shaft part is 3 mm or less when the variable valve mechanism is in the coupled state and the valve is closed. If the output arm bounces in the uncoupled state, the output arm comes into contact with the general shaft part through the clearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Takayuki MAEZAKO, Akira SUGIURA
  • Publication number: 20170207050
    Abstract: A load drive apparatus includes: a first drive element that drives a first load; a second drive element that drives a second load; a control circuit that controls the first drive element and the second drive element; a power supply circuit that supplies electric power; and a failsafe circuit that includes an abnormality detection portion detecting whether an abnormality occurs in at least one of the control circuit and the power supply circuit, the failsafe circuit controlling the first drive element and the second drive element to drive the first load and the second load when the abnormality detection portion has detected that an abnormality occurs in at least one of the control circuit and the power supply circuit and also when the load drive apparatus receives at least one of a command directing a drive of the first load and a command directing a drive of the second load.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 6, 2017
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicants: Anden Co., Ltd., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akira SUGIURA, Nobutomo TAKAGI, Fukuo ISHIKAWA, Shinji OSHITA, Kenichi TAKAYOSHI
  • Patent number: 9624795
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine, which includes a rocker arm that is driven by a cam so as to swing to drive a valve, a switching pin that is attached to the rocker arm so as to be shifted between a first position and a second position, a shift device that shifts the switching pin from the first position to the second position, and a return spring that returns the switching pin. In the variable valve mechanism, a drive state of the valve is switched by shifting the switching pin, the rocker arm is formed to have such a dimension that one end of the switching pin is exposed while projecting outward from the rocker arm, and the return spring is externally fitted to the one end of the switching pin so as to be exposed outside the rocker arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: OTICS CORPORATION
    Inventors: Akira Sugiura, Takayuki Maezako
  • Publication number: 20160084119
    Abstract: The present invention provides a variable valve mechanism of an internal combustion engine, which includes a rocker arm that is driven by a cam so as to swing to drive a valve, a switching pin that is attached to the rocker arm so as to be shifted between a first position and a second position, a shift device that shifts the switching pin from the first position to the second position, and a return spring that returns the switching pin. In the variable valve mechanism, a drive state of the valve is switched by shifting the switching pin, the rocker arm is formed to have such a dimension that one end of the switching pin is exposed while projecting outward from the rocker arm, and the return spring is externally fitted to the one end of the switching pin so as to be exposed outside the rocker arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2015
    Publication date: March 24, 2016
    Inventors: Akira SUGIURA, Takayuki MAEZAKO
  • Patent number: 9225158
    Abstract: An overcurrent protection circuit includes a load drive section driving a load, a wire coupled with the load and the load drive section, a current detection section detecting a load current value of an electric current that flows to the load, an addition and subtraction section determining an addition and subtraction value based on the load current value and transmitting an integration result of addition and subtraction, a comparison circuit comparing the integration result with a threshold value, and a control circuit controlling the load drive section based on the comparison result. The addition and subtraction section includes an addition value determination circuit that determines an addition value in the addition and subtraction value based on the load current value and a function expression or information indicating a relationship between the load current value and the addition value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, ANDEN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ippei Kawamoto, Takeyoshi Hisada, Fukuo Ishikawa, Akira Sugiura