Patents by Inventor Hideo Nihonmatsu

Hideo Nihonmatsu 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: 10052978
    Abstract: By a contact of an engagement portion of a second memory member to a circumferential wall portion of a first memory member, the engagement portion is restricted from moving in a radial direction in accordance with a lock operation of lock members. By an engagement of the circumferential wall portion of the first memory member with the engagement portion of the second memory member that is in contact with the circumferential wall portion, the first memory member integrally rotates with a first rotary member on a same axis of the first and second rotary members. In a state where a rotation limiting mechanism restricts the first memory member and the first rotary member from integrally rotating with each other, the first memory member allows the engagement portion to slide along a longitudinal direction of the circumferential wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao Noguchi, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yasuhiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20180086234
    Abstract: A vehicle seat device includes a first movable member, which moves forward and rearward integrally with a seat, a first engagement member, which is engaged with or disengaged from the first movable member based on a forward or rearward movement of the seat, a second engagement member, which operates integrally with a seatback of the seat, a second movable member, which is capable of approaching and moving away from a movement path of the second engagement member, and an interlocking mechanism, which interlocks the first movable member and the second movable member with each other. The first movable member is configured to be in a first engagement/disengagement state when the seat is in a rear movement region and to be in a second engagement/disengagement state when the seat is in a front movement region. The second movable member is configured to enter the movement path of the second engagement member to restrict a rearward tilting action range of the seatback.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2016
    Publication date: March 29, 2018
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasuhiro KOJIMA, Hideo NIHONMATSU, Koichi MORITA
  • Patent number: 9849810
    Abstract: A walk-in apparatus for a vehicle seat includes: a seat rail slidably supporting a vehicle front seat; a slide lock mechanism non-slidably holding a seat cushion of the seat on the seat rail; an operation lever turnably supported by a seatback of the seat; and a link mechanism allowing the seat to be capable of sliding forward by releasing the operation of the slide lock mechanism via a connection unit based on a turning operation of the operation lever. The link mechanism includes a turning link turning based on a pulling force to the connection unit; a lock release link turning based on the turning of the turning link, and thus, releasing the operation of the slide lock mechanism; and a torque absorbing mechanism provided between the turning and lock release links, and limiting a pulling force to the turning link to a predetermined value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Nihonmatsu, Koichi Morita, Yasuhiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20170327010
    Abstract: By a contact of an engagement portion of a second memory member to a circumferential wall portion of a first memory member, the engagement portion is restricted from moving in a radial direction in accordance with a lock operation of lock members. By an engagement of the circumferential wall portion of the first memory member with the engagement portion of the second memory member that is in contact with the circumferential wall portion, the first memory member integrally rotates with a first rotary member on a same axis of the first and second rotary members. In a state where a rotation limiting mechanism restricts the first memory member and the first rotary member from integrally rotating with each other, the first memory member allows the engagement portion to slide along a longitudinal direction of the circumferential wall portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2015
    Publication date: November 16, 2017
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masao NOGUCHI, Hideo NIHONMATSU, Yasuhiro KOJIMA
  • Publication number: 20170057381
    Abstract: A walk-in apparatus for a vehicle seat includes: a seat rail slidably supporting a vehicle front seat; a slide lock mechanism non-slidably holding a seat cushion of the seat on the seat rail; an operation lever turnably supported by a seatback of the seat; and a link mechanism allowing the seat to be capable of sliding forward by releasing the operation of the slide lock mechanism via a connection unit based on a turning operation of the operation lever. The link mechanism includes a turning link turning based on a pulling force to the connection unit; a lock release link turning based on the turning of the turning link, and thus, releasing the operation of the slide lock mechanism; and a torque absorbing mechanism provided between the turning and lock release links, and limiting a pulling force to the turning link to a predetermined value or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo NIHONMATSU, Koichi MORITA, Yasuhiro KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 9302598
    Abstract: A seat adjustment apparatus for a vehicle includes a pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, a drive source positioned close to one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and far from the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, and a connecting member transmitting a drive power to the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, wherein the connecting member includes a first portion transmitting the drive power to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a first torsional rigidity, the connecting member includes a second portion transmitting the drive power to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a second torsional rigidity, and the first torsional rigidity differs from the second torsional rigidity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yoshihiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 9162596
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a lock mechanism including a lock lever that includes an engaging portion engageable and disengageable relative to an engaged portion formed at the lower rail, and an unlock operation inhibition apparatus including a mass member arranged at an inner void of the upper rail, a moving axis forming member forming a moving axis of the mass member, and a restriction portion inhibiting a movement of the mass member on the moving axis, the unlock operation inhibition apparatus restricting the engaging portion from moving to disengage from the engaged portion by the movement of the mass member on the moving axis to a position at which the mass member interferes with the lock lever in a case where a collision load greater than a retraining force specified for the restriction portion is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruo Kato, Muneto Inayoshi, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Katsusuke Araki, Kenichi Usami, Naonori Hioki
  • Publication number: 20140284979
    Abstract: A seat adjustment apparatus for a vehicle includes a pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, a drive source positioned close to one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and far from the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, and a connecting member transmitting a drive power to the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms, wherein the connecting member includes a first portion transmitting the drive power to the one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a first torsional rigidity, the connecting member includes a second portion transmitting the drive power to the other one of the pair of seat adjustment mechanisms and having a second torsional rigidity, and the first torsional rigidity differs from the second torsional rigidity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo NIHONMATSU, Yoshihiro Fujita
  • Patent number: 8740280
    Abstract: A stopper includes an attachment portion and a pair of flanges. The attachment portion contacts an outer surface of a bottom wall portion of a lower rail and is attached to the bottom wall portion. The flanges extend from the attachment portion to be passed through insertion holes in the bottom wall portion. The flanges are located in an inner space of the lower rail. The flanges are engaged with second cut-and-raised pieces formed in an upper rail, thereby limiting the range of movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yoshihisa Hori
  • Publication number: 20140027600
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a lock mechanism including a lock lever that includes an engaging portion engageable and disengageable relative to an engaged portion formed at the lower rail, and an unlock operation inhibition apparatus including a mass member arranged at an inner void of the upper rail, a moving axis forming member forming a moving axis of the mass member, and a restriction portion inhibiting a movement of the mass member on the moving axis, the unlock operation inhibition apparatus restricting the engaging portion from moving to disengage from the engaged portion by the movement of the mass member on the moving axis to a position at which the mass member interferes with the lock lever in a case where a collision load greater than a retraining force specified for the restriction portion is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruo KATO, Muneto Inayoshi, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Katsusuke Araki, Kenichi Usami, Naonori Hioki
  • Patent number: 8528974
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes first and second lower rails, first and second upper rails, first and second lock levers, first and second biasing members, first and second support brackets fixed to the first and second upper rails and including first and second support portions, an operation handle including first and second power transmission portions pressing the first and second lock levers so as to release the restriction of the movement of the upper rails relative to the lower rails against a biasing force of the biasing members, and a release lever rotatably connected to the first upper rail and rotating in association with a forward folding of a seat back of the seat to release the restriction of the movement of the upper rails relative to the lower rails by directly pressing the first power transmission portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Nihonmatsu, Ryousuke Mizuno, Genta Moriyama
  • Patent number: 8490941
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail, a second rail slidably movable relative to the first rail, a lock member restricting a movement of the second rail relative to the first rail, a memory member movably supported within an inner void between the first rail and the second rail and prevented from moving, a first holding member holding the memory member so that the memory member is movable along with the second rail, a second holding member holding the memory member so as to maintain the engagement between the memory member and the first rail, a support bracket fixed to the second rail in the inner void and supporting one end portion of the second holding member, and a rail-side engagement portion arranged at the second rail, engaged with a holding-member-side engagement portion, and preventing the second holding member from being loosened from the second rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryousuke Mizuno, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Genta Moriyama, Naonori Hioki
  • Patent number: 8474777
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail, a second rail, a lock member, a memory member, a first holding member holding the memory member to move integrally with the second rail in a state where a restriction of the relative movement between the first rail and the second rail is released on a basis of an operation handle, and a second holding member holding the memory member so that the engagement of the memory member with the first rail is maintained in a state where the restriction of the relative movement is released in association with a forward folding operation of a seat back. The first holding member integrally includes a body portion and a memory member holding portion so as to sandwich the memory member in a state where the body portion engages with the front end portion of the memory member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Nihonmatsu, Ryousuke Mizuno, Genta Moriyama
  • Patent number: 8393591
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail, a second rail, a lock member, a plurality of engagement bores including a rear end engagement bore, a front end portion of the rear end engagement bore being further positioned in a forward direction than a rear end of the second rail in a state where the second rail is positioned at a foremost position, a rear end portion of the rear end engagement bore being exposed to a rear of the rear end of the second rail, a memory member, a holding member holding the memory member to move integrally with the second rail or holding the memory member to engage with one of the engagement bores, and an auxiliary bracket restricting a movement of the memory member that engages with the front end portion of the rear end engagement bore towards the rear end portion thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryousuke Mizuno, Hideo Nihonmatsu
  • Publication number: 20120326000
    Abstract: A stopper 31 includes an attachment portion 32 and a pair of flanges 33. The attachment portion 32 contacts an outer surface 12a of a bottom wall portion 12 of a lower rail 3 and is attached to the bottom wall portion 12. The flanges 33 extend from the attachment portion 32 to be passed through insertion holes 30 in the bottom wall portion 12. The flanges 33 are located in an inner space of the lower rail 3. The flanges 33 are engaged with second cut-and-raised pieces 23b formed in an upper rail 4, thereby limiting the range of movement of the upper rail 4 relative to the lower rail 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yoshihisa Hori
  • Patent number: 8297582
    Abstract: A vehicle seat sliding apparatus having a lower rail adapted to be fixed to a vehicle floor and an upper rail adapted to be fixed to a seat and connected to the lower rail so as to be movable with respect to the lower rail includes: a lock lever adapted to be connected rotatably to the upper rail and engaged with the lower rail for selectively the movement of the upper rail with respect to the lower rail; an operating lever adapted to be connected rotatably to a supporting bracket adapted to support the seat in the direction of rotation different from the direction of rotation of the lock lever above the lock lever; and a connecting rod adapted to be connected at one end and the other end directly to the lock lever and the operating lever respectively, and adapted to transmit an operating force to release restriction of the movement with respect to the lock lever by a pressing operation in association with the rotation of the operating lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yoshihisa Hori
  • Patent number: 8282151
    Abstract: A stopper includes an attachment portion and a pair of flanges. The attachment portion contacts an outer surface of a bottom wall portion of a lower rail and is attached to the bottom wall portion. The flanges extend from the attachment portion to be passed through insertion holes in the bottom wall portion. The flanges are located in an inner space of the lower rail. The flanges are engaged with second cut-and-raised pieces formed in an upper rail, thereby limiting the range of movement of the upper rail relative to the lower rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Yoshihisa Hori
  • Patent number: 8251335
    Abstract: A lower rail 3 has a first cut-and-raised piece 22, and an upper rail 4 has a second cut-and-raised piece 23. The first and second cut-and-raised pieces 22, 23 each have a facing surface 22a, 23a that faces and is contactable with the facing surface of the other cut-and-raised piece along the moving direction of the upper rail 4. The first and second cut-and-raised pieces 22, 23 are engaged with each other so as to limit the movement range of the upper rail 4 relative to the lower rail 3. On the facing surface 22a and the facing surface 23a, inclination angles ? and ? are provided that generate a force causing the first and second cut-and-raised pieces 22, 23 to be more deeply engaged with each other, respectively. This prevents the first and second cut-and-raised pieces 22, 23 from being easily disengaged from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu
  • Patent number: 8201798
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes a first rail, a second rail slidably movable relative to the first rail, a lock member restricting a movement of the second rail relative to the first rail, a memory member movably supported within an inner void between the first rail and the second rail and prevented from moving, a holding member fixed to the second rail, holding the memory member so that the memory member is movable along with the second rail, and holding the memory member so as to maintain the engagement between the memory member and the first rail, a first stopper member positioned at one side of the memory member, and a second stopper member positioned at the other side of the memory member and preventing the second rail from moving in a condition where the memory member is sandwiched between the first and second stopper members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Nihonmatsu, Ryousuke Mizuno, Genta Moriyama
  • Patent number: 8146978
    Abstract: A seat slide device for a vehicle includes a lower rail, an upper rail movable relative to the lower rail and a lock member for restricting the relative movement of the upper and lower rails. The restriction of the relative movement can be released and the lock-released position can be retained. The seat slide device further includes a memory piece detachably engaged with the lower rail and provided in a direction separating from the lower rail and engaging therewith when a seatback is reclined forward, wherein the memory piece is moved in association with the movement of the upper rail by retaining the memory piece at the receiving portion and the shaped portion when the memory piece is separated from the lower rail and wherein the memory piece is engaged with the lower rail at the engaging portion when the memory piece is engaged with the lower rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kojima, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Mikihito Nagura