Patents by Inventor Eiji Kodo

Eiji Kodo 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: 7053320
    Abstract: A switch device is configured by engaging a plurality of switches in a cam section of an operating member in a manner such that a detecting section can detect positions of operation of the operating member based on electric ON/OFF states of the switches. With this arrangement, it is possible to detect the positions of operation of the operating member by only detecting the electric ON/OFF states of the switches wherever the position of operation the operating member may be. Consequently, a switch device that is simple in construction and capable of reliably detecting positions of operation of the operating member can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Kodo, Tatsuya Tsuda, Yoshiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 7019243
    Abstract: A lever switch includes a common contact and a fixed contact both prepared on at least an inner bottom face, or any one of inner faces of walls surrounding the inner bottom face, and a movable contact which touches or leaves at least one of the common contact or the fixed contact when a lever rotates. Terminal sections of the common contact and the fixed contact extend through walls of the housing. This structure allows the lever switch to fix those terminal sections to a wired board, thereby preventing the lever switch from coming off from the wired board. As a result, the lever switch can work with reliability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2006
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tatsuya Tsuda, Eiji Kodo, Yoshiharu Abe
  • Publication number: 20050006210
    Abstract: A switch device is configured by engaging a plurality of switches in a cam section of an operating member in a manner such that a detecting section can detect positions of operation of the operating member based on electric ON/OFF states of the switches. With this arrangement, it is possible to detect the positions of operation of the operating member by only detecting the electric ON/OFF states of the switches wherever position of operation the operating member may be. Consequently, a switch device that is simple in construction and capable of surely detecting positions of operation of the operating member can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Eiji Kodo, Tatsuya Tsuda, Yoshiharu Abe
  • Patent number: 6841744
    Abstract: A slide switch is fabricated by having a coiled spring, which has coil-end seating portions at both ends totaling ¾ to 1 turn, contained in a case or an operating member such that the operating member is biased by the spring. By virtue of such a configuration, the spring is prevented from bulging out at its center portion or coming off the containing portion. Thus, a slide switch which can be fabricated easily while also saving manpower can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2005
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eiji Kodo, Yoshiharu Abe
  • Publication number: 20040223416
    Abstract: A lever switch includes a common contact and a fixed contact both prepared on at least an inner bottom face, or any one of inner faces of walls surrounding the inner bottom face, and a movable contact which touches or leaves at least one of the common contact or the fixed contact when a lever rotates. Terminal sections of the common contact and the fixed contact extend through walls of the housing. This structure allows the lever switch to fix those terminal sections to a wired board, thereby preventing the lever switch from coming off from the wired board. As a result, the lever switch can work with reliability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2004
    Publication date: November 11, 2004
    Inventors: Tatsuya Tsuda, Eiji Kodo, Yoshiharu Abe