Patents by Inventor Hidefumi Sonoda

Hidefumi Sonoda 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: 5080421
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel vapor to the atmosphere by allowing fuel vapor in a fuel tank to be adsorbed by an adsorbing device when a fuel lid is opened. A switch is turned on by the movement of a locking member for locking and unlocking the fuel lid so as to detect the opening of the fuel lid. The arrangement facilitates adjustment of the relative positions of the switch and the locking member. In addition, the switch is turned on when the fuel lid is opened by remote control, while the switch is turned off when the fuel lid is manually closed. The discharge of fuel vapor to the atmosphere during refueling and the influx of fuel vapor into the adsorbing device after the charging of fuel are prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 14, 1992
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Otowa, Kazuhiro Okada, Hidefumi Sonoda, Tadao Kaneko, Kazuhisa Sawada
  • Patent number: 5067468
    Abstract: An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel vapor to the atmosphere by allowing fuel vapor in a fuel tank to be adsorbed by an adsorbing device when a fuel lid is opened. A switch is secured to a mounting bracket for rotatably supporting a fuel lid opener lever mounted in a vehicle compartment. The switch is turned on by the operation of the remote lever that opens the fuel lid, and fuel vapor is adsorbed by charcoal in a canister. The switch is adjustably secured to the mounting bracket, to facilitate positioning the pushbutton of the switch relative to the lid opening lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 1990
    Date of Patent: November 26, 1991
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hidekazu Otowa, Kazuhiro Okada, Hidefumi Sonoda, Tadao Kaneko
  • Patent number: 4986840
    Abstract: A charcoal canister having an activated carbon layer arranged in a central portion of an interior of the housing in an axial direction thereof and extending over the entire cross section of the interior, which is perpendicular to an axis of the housing. A first chamber is formed in the interior of one axial end of the housing and defined by one end of the activated carbon layer, and a second chamber is formed in the interior at the other axial end of the housing and defined by the other end of the activated carbon layer. A fuel vapor inlet pipe and a purge pipe are connected to the first chamber, and an air inlet pipe is connected to the second chamber. These pipes extend outwardly from a housing wall portion which defines the first chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 1989
    Date of Patent: January 22, 1991
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Mori, Hidefumi Sonoda, Akira Hiraku, Morio Minezawa, Isao Kato, Koichi Ito
  • Patent number: 4872439
    Abstract: A device for preventing an outflow of a fuel vapor from a fuel tank comprising a breather pipe which connects the upper interior of the fuel tank to a charcoal canister. A float-valve assembly is mounted on the upper wall of the fuel tank. This assembly comprises a breather passage connected to the charcoal canister via the breather pipe, a normally closed solenoid valve arranged in the breather passage, and a float normally allowing the breather passage to be open to the interior of the fuel tank. When the replenishment of the fuel tank is carried out, the solenoid valve is opened to feed fuel vapor in the fuel tank into the charcoal canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: October 10, 1989
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisan Industry Co., Ltd., Jeco Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidefumi Sonoda, Eiji Mori, Mitsuo Kawase, Kazuhiro Yoneshige, Akira Takahashi, Hirokazu Komiya, Akira Tanaka
  • Patent number: 4809865
    Abstract: A fuel tank having a fuel inlet pipe which has a normally closed closure valve arranged therein and opened by a fuel pump nozzle. A valve housing is fixed onto the outer wall of the fuel inlet pipe. A cam and a normally closed control valve actuated by the cam and controlling the fluid connection between the canister and the interior of the fuel tank are arranged in the valve housing. The cam shaft of the cam is mechanically connected to the rotary shaft of the closure valve. When the closure valve is opened by the fuel pump nozzle, the control valve is opened by the cam to feed the fuel vapor in the fuel tank into the canister.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: March 7, 1989
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Eiji Mori, Hidefumi Sonoda, Akira Hiraku, Isao Katoh, Kouichi Itoh, Morio Minezawa