Patents by Inventor Ayumi Mihashi

Ayumi Mihashi 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).

  • Patent number: 9222297
    Abstract: An openable roof window includes: a window panel configured to be slidable along a guide rail to selectively open and close an opening in a roof and tiltable relative to a base frame; a slider having a pin and driven by a drive device to slide along the guide rail; an engagement structure that selectively engages the slider with the window panel such that they are unmovable relative to each other in a direction along the guide rail; and the engagement structure includes a stay fixedly secured to the window panel and having a cam groove formed therein, the cam groove engaging the pin of the slider and having a shape defined such that, when the engagement structure does not engage the slider with the window panel, the window panel is caused to tilt as the slider moves relative to the stay as a result of sliding of the slider along the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry, Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Uehara, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8689499
    Abstract: A double glazed window glass structure includes a frame defining an outer perimeter of the window glass structure, and first and second sheet glasses mounted on respective sides of the frame to define a heat insulation space therebetween. The frame includes an outer frame portion and an inner frame portion extending from an inner surface of the outer frame portion toward an inside of the frame. The inner frame portion has first and second sheet glass receiving surfaces bonded to the first and second sheet glasses, respectively. The inner frame portion is provided with a groove having an opening that opens in the second sheet glass receiving surface, the groove containing a drying agent therein, and a communication passage allowing only a fluid to flow between the groove and the heat insulation space. The opening of the groove is closed by the second sheet glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi Mihashi, Yoshiyasu Ito
  • Publication number: 20140069037
    Abstract: A double glazed window glass structure includes a frame defining an outer perimeter of the window glass structure, and first and second sheet glasses mounted on respective sides of the frame to define a heat insulation space therebetween. The frame includes an outer frame portion and an inner frame portion extending from an inner surface of the outer frame portion toward an inside of the frame. The inner frame portion has first and second sheet glass receiving surfaces bonded to the first and second sheet glasses, respectively. The inner frame portion is provided with a groove having an opening that opens in the second sheet glass receiving surface, the groove containing a drying agent therein, and a communication passage allowing only a fluid to flow between the groove and the heat insulation space. The opening of the groove is closed by the second sheet glass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: March 13, 2014
    Applicant: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ayumi MIHASHI, Yoshiyasu ITO
  • Publication number: 20140000168
    Abstract: An openable roof window includes: a window panel configured to be slidable along a guide rail to selectively open and close an opening in a roof and tiltable relative to a base frame; a slider having a pin and driven by a drive device to slide along the guide rail; an engagement structure that selectively engages the slider with the window panel such that they are unmovable relative to each other in a direction along the guide rail; and a stay fixedly secured to the window panel and having a cam groove formed therein, the cam groove engaging the pin of the slider and having a shape defined such that, when the engagement structure does not engage the slider with the window panel, the window panel is caused to tilt as the slider moves relative to the stay as a result of sliding of the slider along the guide rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Publication date: January 2, 2014
    Inventors: Tatsuaki UEHARA, Ayumi MIHASHI
  • Patent number: 8424962
    Abstract: A sunroof device which includes a roof panel that is openable/closable, a front slider that is connected to the roof panel via a pin engaging unit that is comprised of the first lift guide groove and the first lift guide pin, a rear slider that is connected to the roof panel via a pin engaging unit that is comprised of a second lift guide groove and a second lift guide pin, and a driving motor that drives the front slider and the rear slider, wherein the first lift guide pin is positioned in the second horizontal stroke which is a horizontal groove and the second lift guide pin is positioned in the second horizontal stroke that is a horizontal groove when the roof panel is completely tilted up.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Uehara, Akira Murasawa, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8366187
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sunroof apparatus including: a roof panel; a driving motor; and a shade. The roof panel is disposed in a fixed roof of a vehicle, for being moved in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle via sliders to be opened and closed. The sliders are coupled to driving wires. The driving motor is for driving the driving wires. The shade is wound around a winding shaft, to be drawn from the winding shaft, passed through an inclination displacement space, and then guided in shade guide rails, for being moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and thereby opening and closing an indoor opening. The inclination displacement space is inclined relative to a horizontal plane and formed between the winding shaft and the shade guide rails. The driving motor is disposed within the inclination displacement space in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8246110
    Abstract: There is provided a deflector mechanism for a sunroof apparatus which can reduce the number of parts, assembling processes, and a production cost. The sunroof apparatus includes a pair of guide rails provided at both sides of an opening formed in a roof of a vehicle in a widthwise direction, a sunroof panel which slides along the guide rails, a resin-made front frame which interconnects front ends of the guide rails, and a deflector mechanism which ascends/descends along a front edge of the opening of the vehicle. The deflector mechanism includes a deflector including a pair of arms and a blade that connects these arms together, a pair of support members each of which supports a basal end of each arms, a retainer formed at a front frame, and an urging means which urges the deflector upwardly, and the retainer is formed together with the front frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8240752
    Abstract: A holding structure of a guide pipe of a sunroof apparatus is provided in which a guide pipe is difficult from being removed. In a frame 12 of the sunroof apparatus in which a guide pipe 25L covering a cable 22 is arranged, a bank part 601 extending obliquely upward from one of the sidewalls 502 of the guide groove 51L is formed on the one of the sidewalls, and a bottom portion 501 of the guide pipe groove 51L comes in surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the lower part of the guide pipe 25L and the bank part 601 comes in surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the guide pipe 25L.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8240751
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), an onboard device (30) is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel (2) adjacent to a front edge of the roof opening, and an electric motor (24) for actuating the moveable roof panel is also located adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening but in a laterally offset and longitudinally overlapping relationship with the onboard device. As the electric motor and onboard device do not overlap each other in plan view, the thickness of the roof can be minimized. As the electric motor and onboard device overlap each other in side view, the distance between the upper edge of the front windshield and the front edge of the roof opening can be minimized, and this improves the field of view of the vehicle occupants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8231170
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), a pair of push-pull cables (22) extend from an electric motor (24) mounted on a front frame (12) extending along the front edge of the roof opening to either side of the moveable roof panel, and cross each other at three locations (P1-P3) on the front frame in plan view. Idle cable section of the first push-pull cable (22l) that meshes with the rear side of a drive gear of the electric motor crosses the drive cable section of the second push-pull cable (22r) at one location (P1), and the drive cable section of the first push-pull cable includes a bulging section bulging forward by crossing the idle cable section of the second push-pull cable at two locations (P2 and P3). Thereby, the radius of curvature of the drive cable section of the first push-pull cable can be maximized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Publication number: 20120091763
    Abstract: The present invention provides a sunroof apparatus including: a roof panel; a driving motor; and a shade. The roof panel is disposed in a fixed roof of a vehicle, for being moved in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle via sliders to be opened and closed. The sliders are coupled to driving wires. The driving motor is for driving the driving wires. The shade is wound around a winding shaft, to be drawn from the winding shaft, passed through an inclination displacement space, and then guided in shade guide rails, for being moved in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and thereby opening and closing an indoor opening. The inclination displacement space is inclined relative to a horizontal plane and formed between the winding shaft and the shade guide rails. The driving motor is disposed within the inclination displacement space in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Ayumi MIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20120068503
    Abstract: A sunroof device which includes a roof panel that is openable/closable, a front slider that is connected to the roof panel via a pin engaging unit that is comprised of the first lift guide groove and the first lift guide pines, a rear slider that is connected to the roof panel -via a pin engaging unit that is comprised of a second lift guide groove and a second lift guide pin, and a driving motor that drives the front slider and the rear slider, wherein the first lift guide pin is positioned in the second horizontal stroke which is a horizontal groove and the second lift guide pin is positioned in the second horizontal stroke that is a horizontal groove when the roof panel is completely tilted up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tatsuaki Uehara, Akira Murasawa, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8118357
    Abstract: A frame structure of a sunroof apparatus includes a pair of guide rails provided, respectively, on both sides in a width direction of an opening of a vehicle and guiding a movement of a sunroof panel; a frame including a drain extended across the direction and connecting ends of the rails; sliders sliding in the rails, respectively; a drive device installed at the frame and making the sliders slide; cables connecting the sliders and the device and routed so as to cross above the drain; guide pipes covering the cables; and guide pipe grooves depressingly provided at the frame and where the guide pipes are arranged, respectively, wherein protrusion portions protruding outside from outer peripheries of the pipes are provided, and wherein engagement portions where the protrusion portions are engaged are formed in the grooves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Kouichi Hotta, Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Patent number: 8075050
    Abstract: In a sunroof system (3) for a vehicle using a push-pull cable (22) for actuating a sunroof panel (4), the push-pull cable is received in a drive pipe (25), and a sunroof frame (12) is provided with a drive pipe retaining feature (16, 18). Therefore, the drive pipe may be made of flexible material, and firmly held in place by the pipe retaining feature even when the push-pull cable is subjected to significant tensile and compressive load. The pipe retaining feature may include a pipe retaining groove (16) for receiving the drive pipe and clips (18) for resiliently retaining the drive pipes in the pipe retaining groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Hotta, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Publication number: 20110198892
    Abstract: There is provided a deflector mechanism for a sunroof apparatus which can reduce the number of parts, assembling processes, and a production cost. The sunroof apparatus includes a pair of guide rails provided at both sides of an opening formed in a roof of a vehicle in a widthwise direction, a sunroof panel which slides along the guide rails, a resin-made front frame which interconnects front ends of the guide rails, and a deflector mechanism which ascends/descends along a front edge of the opening of the vehicle. The deflector mechanism includes a deflector including a pair of arms and a blade that connects these arms together, a pair of support members each of which supports a basal end of each arms, a retainer formed at a front frame, and an urging means which urges the deflector upwardly, and the retainer is formed together with the front frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Publication number: 20110198891
    Abstract: A holding structure of a guide pipe of a sunroof apparatus is provided in which a guide pipe is difficult from being removed. In a frame 12 of the sunroof apparatus in which a guide pipe 25L covering a cable 22 is arranged, a bank part 601 extending obliquely upward from one of the sidewalls 502 of the guide groove 51L is formed on the one of the sidewalls, and a bottom portion 501 of the guide pipe groove 51L comes in surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the lower part of the guide pipe 25L and the bank part 601 comes in surface contact with the outer circumferential surface of the upper part of the guide pipe 25L.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2011
    Publication date: August 18, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime Katayama, Ayumi Mihashi
  • Publication number: 20110187159
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), an onboard device (30) is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel (2) adjacent to a front edge of the roof opening, and an electric motor (24) for actuating the moveable roof panel is also located adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening but in a laterally offset and longitudinally overlapping relationship with the onboard device. As the electric motor and onboard device do not overlap each other in plan view, the thickness of the roof can be minimized. As the electric motor and onboard device overlap each other in side view, the distance between the upper edge of the front windshield and the front edge of the roof opening can be minimized, and this improves the field of view of the vehicle occupants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime KATAYAMA, Ayumi MIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110187162
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), an onboard device (30) is located in a laterally central part of the fixed roof panel (2) adjacent to a front edge of the roof opening, and an electric motor (24) for actuating the moveable roof panel is also located adjacent to the front edge of the roof opening but in a laterally offset and longitudinally overlapping relationship with the onboard device. As the electric motor and onboard device do not overlap each other in plan view, the thickness of the roof can be minimized. As the electric motor and onboard device overlap each other in side view, the distance between the upper edge of the front windshield and the front edge of the roof opening can be minimized, and this improves the field of view of the vehicle occupants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime KATAYAMA, Ayumi MIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110187161
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), an electric motor (24) mounted on a front edge of the roof opening actuates the moveable roof panel via a pair of push-pull cables (22). The drive section of at least one of the push-pull cable includes a bulging section bulging in a forward direction, and the elongated direction of the main body of the electric motor extends substantially in parallel with a sloping inboard side of the bulging section of the one push-pull cable. Therefore, the push-pull cable can be bulged forward without any restriction so that the push-pull cable can be laid out so as not to include any part having an unduly small radius of curvature. Therefore, a relatively friction free guidance of push-pull cables can be accomplished in actuating the moveable roof panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime KATAYAMA, Ayumi MIHASHI
  • Publication number: 20110187160
    Abstract: In a vehicle roof system for closing and opening a roof opening (2a) formed in a fixed roof panel (2) of a vehicle with a moveable roof panel (4), a pair of push-pull cables (22) extend from an electric motor (24) mounted on a front frame (12) extending along the front edge of the roof opening to either side of the moveable roof panel, and cross each other at three locations (P1-P3) on the front frame in plan view. Idle cable section of the first push-pull cable (22l) that meshes with the rear side of a drive gear of the electric motor crosses the drive cable section of the second push-pull cable (22r) at one location (P1), and the drive cable section of the first push-pull cable includes a bulging section bulging forward by crossing the idle cable section of the second push-pull cable at two locations (P2 and P3). Thereby, the radius of curvature of the drive cable section of the first push-pull cable can be maximized.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hajime KATAYAMA, Ayumi MIHASHI