Patents by Inventor Eiji Maemura
Eiji Maemura 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).
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Patent number: 10421430Abstract: A power transmission mechanism (19) for transmitting power from a motor (34) to a spindle (12) having a clutch housing (50), a pawl (41) engageable with the clutch housing (50), a gear wheel (57) which holds the pawl (41) and rotates with the rotation of the motor (34), an outer gear cover (26), and a friction ring (42) engaging with the pawl (41) and held on the outer gear cover (26) by frictional force. The friction ring (42) is provided with a protruding portion (42a) which engages with an engagement groove (41b) of the pawl (41), and a plurality of contact pieces (42b) in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a small diameter ring portion (26c) of the outer gear cover (26) and press radially against the outer peripheral surface towards an inner side The friction ring can be easily coupled to the outer gear cover.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2016Date of Patent: September 24, 2019Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Andreas Lucht, Patrick Sullau, Yukinori Midorikawa
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Patent number: 10099653Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle (11) for retracting a seat belt (13), an electric actuator (55), a pre-tensioner (14) and a power transmission mechanism (20), wherein the power transmission mechanism (20) can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) before the pre-tensioner (14) is activated, while when the pre-tensioner (14) is activated. The power transmission mechanism (20) non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) via an elastic piece (60) when a torque difference between an actuator-side gear (80) and a spindle-side gear (82) becomes larger than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: July 19, 2016Date of Patent: October 16, 2018Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Publication number: 20180178750Abstract: A power transmission mechanism (19) for transmitting power from a motor (34) to a spindle (12) having a clutch housing (50), a pawl (41) engageable with the clutch housing (50), a gear wheel (57) which holds the pawl (41) and rotates with the rotation of the motor (34), an outer gear cover (26), and a friction ring (42) engaging with the pawl (41) and held on the outer gear cover (26) by frictional force. The friction ring (42) is provided with a protruding portion (42a) which engages with an engagement groove (41b) of the pawl (41), and a plurality of contact pieces (42b) in contact with an outer peripheral surface of a small diameter ring portion (26c) of the outer gear cover (26) and press radially against the outer peripheral surface towards an inner side The friction ring can be easily coupled to the outer gear cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2016Publication date: June 28, 2018Applicant: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: EIJI MAEMURA, ANDREAS LUCHT, PATRICK SULLAU, YUKINORI MIDORIKAWA
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Publication number: 20170021797Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle (11) for retracting a seat belt (13), an electric actuator (55), a pre-tensioner (14) and a power transmission mechanism (20), wherein the power transmission mechanism (20) can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) before the pre-tensioner (14) is activated, while when the pre-tensioner (14) is activated. The power transmission mechanism (20) non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) via an elastic piece (60) when a torque difference between an actuator-side gear (80) and a spindle-side gear (82) becomes larger than a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 19, 2016Publication date: January 26, 2017Inventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Patent number: 9446737Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle (11) for retracting a seat belt (13), an electric actuator (55), a pre-tensioner (14) and a power transmission mechanism (20), wherein the power transmission mechanism (20) can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) before the pre-tensioner (14) is activated, while when the pre-tensioner (14) is activated. The power transmission mechanism (20) non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) via an elastic piece (60) when a torque difference between an actuator-side gear (80) and a spindle-side gear (82) becomes larger than a predetermined value.Type: GrantFiled: April 2, 2014Date of Patent: September 20, 2016Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVLEOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Patent number: 9132804Abstract: A seatbelt device for preventing a torque limiter mechanism from operating due to inertia force when a gear rotates quickly due to a winding force of an electric actuator, while maintaining satisfactory operating characteristics of the torque limiter mechanism. In the torque limiter mechanism, when a motor is driven to perform a wind-up operation, a prescribed operational torque that is set as a torque at which a limit spring moves from an engaging surface where the limit spring is positioned when a large-diameter side gear and a small-diameter side gear are in an assembled state, to an adjacent engaging surface, is greater than an operational torque at which the limit spring moves from the adjacent engaging surface to a next adjacent engaging surface by means of a shear pin.Type: GrantFiled: September 1, 2010Date of Patent: September 15, 2015Assignee: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Hiroko Yoshikawa, Yukinori Midorikawa
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Publication number: 20140319262Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle (11) for retracting a seat belt (13), an electric actuator (55), a pre-tensioner (14) and a power transmission mechanism (20), wherein the power transmission mechanism (20) can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) before the pre-tensioner (14) is activated, while when the pre-tensioner (14) is activated. The power transmission mechanism (20) non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator (55) and the spindle (11) via an elastic piece (60) when a torque difference between an actuator-side gear (80) and a spindle-side gear (82) becomes larger than a predetermined value.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2014Publication date: October 30, 2014Applicant: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Publication number: 20140217804Abstract: A seatbelt device for a vehicle. The seatbelt device includes a seatbelt connected at a first end to retractor and connected at a second end to a belt position changing member, which is movable between forward and rearward positions relative to the vehicle. The second end of the seatbelt is connected to the belt position changing member such that the position of the second end of the seatbelt changes relative to the belt position changing member, as the belt position changing member is moved from the rearward position to the forward position, thereby preventing the webbing of the seatbelt from twisting and inverting of the tongue plate upon activation of the belt position changing member, the latter which makes the tongue the plate difficult for an occupant to reach.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2014Publication date: August 7, 2014Applicant: AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Tatsuya Harada
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Patent number: 8777147Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle 11 for retracting a seat belt 13, an electric actuator 55, a pre-tensioner 14 and a power transmission mechanism 20, wherein the power transmission mechanism 20 can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator 55 and the spindle 11 before the pre-tensioner 14 is activated, while when the pre-tensioner 14 is activated, the power transmission mechanism 20 non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator 55 and the spindle 11.Type: GrantFiled: May 18, 2006Date of Patent: July 15, 2014Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Patent number: 8469301Abstract: A clutch includes a clutch housing that rotates with a spindle and has inner teeth; a pair of pawls that can engage with the inner teeth; a gear wheel that is joined to a motor and has a pair of sliding grooves that hold the pawls such that the pawls can move in the sliding grooves between a first position when the motor is not operating, a second position at which the pawls engage with the inner teeth of the clutch housing through operation of the motor, and a third position at which the pawls become positioned on the opposite side to that of the second position across the first position upon operation of the pretensioner; and a return prevention mechanism that prevents the pawls from returning to the first position and the second position after having moved to the third position.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: June 25, 2013Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Hiroko Yoshikawa, Junichi Nagatomo
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Publication number: 20120211579Abstract: A clutch includes a clutch housing that rotates with a spindle and has inner teeth; a pair of pawls that can engage with the inner teeth; a gear wheel that is joined to a motor and has a pair of sliding grooves that hold the pawls such that the pawls can move in the sliding grooves between a first position when the motor is not operating, a second position at which the pawls engage with the inner teeth of the clutch housing through operation of the motor, and a third position at which the pawls become positioned on the opposite side to that of the second position across the first position upon operation of the pretensioner; and a return prevention mechanism that prevents the pawls from returning to the first position and the second position after having moved to the third position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: August 23, 2012Inventors: Eiji Maemura, Hiroko Yoshikawa, Junichi Nagatomo
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Publication number: 20120168548Abstract: A seatbelt device for preventing a torque limiter mechanism from operating due to inertia force when a gear rotates quickly due to a winding force of an electric actuator, while maintaining satisfactory operating characteristics of the torque limiter mechanism. In the torque limiter mechanism, when a motor is driven to perform a wind-up operation, a prescribed operational torque that is set as a torque at which a limit spring moves from an engaging surface where the limit spring is positioned when a large-diameter side gear and a small-diameter side gear are in an assembled state, to an adjacent engaging surface, is greater than an operational torque at which the limit spring moves from the adjacent engaging surface to a next adjacent engaging surface by means of a shear pin.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 1, 2010Publication date: July 5, 2012Applicant: AUTOLIVE DEVELOPMENT ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Hiroko Yoshikawa, Yukinori Midorikawa
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Patent number: 8141808Abstract: A retractor including a spindle for winding a seat belt; a frame for rotatably supporting the spindle; a winding spring for biasing the rotation of the spindle in the direction of winding the seat belt; and a magnetic disc and a magnet sensor unit for detecting the rotation of the spindle. The magnetic disc and the magnet sensor unit are disposed between the frame and the winding spring, and are each made of a magnetic material. Hence, the seat belt device can be less affected by a disturbance magnetic field and can detect the rotation of the spindle at high reliability.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 2008Date of Patent: March 27, 2012Assignee: Autoliv Development ABInventors: Eiji Maemura, Susumu Nakajima
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Publication number: 20110101145Abstract: A seat belt device includes a spindle 11 for retracting a seat belt 13, an electric actuator 55, a pre-tensioner 14 and a power transmission mechanism 20, wherein the power transmission mechanism 20 can reversibly switch the connection and disconnection between the electric actuator 55 and the spindle 11 before the pre-tensioner 14 is activated, while when the pre-tensioner 14 is activated, the power transmission mechanism 20 non-reversibly interrupts the connection between the electric actuator 55 and the spindle 11.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 18, 2006Publication date: May 5, 2011Inventors: Eiji Maemura, Yukinori Midorikawa, Masuo Matsuki
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Publication number: 20100072313Abstract: A retractor including a spindle for winding a seat belt; a frame for rotatably supporting the spindle; a winding spring for biasing the rotation of the spindle in the direction of winding the seat belt; and a magnetic disc and a magnet sensor unit for detecting the rotation of the spindle. The magnetic disc and the magnet sensor unit are disposed between the frame and the winding spring, and are each made of a magnetic material. Hence, the seat belt device can be less affected by a disturbance magnetic field and can detect the rotation of the spindle at high reliability.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2008Publication date: March 25, 2010Inventors: Eiji Maemura, Susumu Nakajima
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Patent number: 5318839Abstract: There is disclosed a laminate comprising (a) a layer of a styrenic polymer having a higher degree of syndiotactic configuration and a crystallinity of at least 25%, preferably 35%, (b) a layer of paper and optionally (c) an adhesive layer and (d) a barrier layer. The above laminate is excellent in heat resistance, hydrolytic resistance, tearability, dead foldability and gloss and can find a wide range of effective application.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 1992Date of Patent: June 7, 1994Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yosuke Arai, Yuichi Oki, Eiji Maemura, Keisuke Funaki
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Patent number: 5283117Abstract: There are disclosed a laminate comprising (a) a biaxially oriented film of a styrenic polymer having a high degree of syndiotactic configuration of 10 to 100 .mu.m in thickness and (b) a rubber-based self-adhesive layer of 5 to m in thickness and a self-adhesive tape comprising the above-mentioned laminate. The above laminate and self-adhesive tape are excellent in transparency, heat resistance, water resistance, moisture resistance, dispenser and hand cuttability, insulating properties and mechanical properties such as elasticity and nerve and can find a wide range of effective application.Type: GrantFiled: January 6, 1992Date of Patent: February 1, 1994Assignee: Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yosuke Arai, Yuichi Oki, Eiji Maemura, Keisuke Funaki