Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Kito

Hiroaki Kito 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: 11498417
    Abstract: There is provided a check valve for a fuel tank, including a cover to be welded to the fuel tank, a case welded to the cover and having a discharge port configured to discharge fuel into the fuel tank, and a valve body configured to open and close the discharge port. The cover includes a positioning portion on an outer circumferential surface. The case includes a vent hole which is arranged upward in a circumferential direction of the case when the check valve is mounted on the fuel tank, and a valve body supporting portion which supports the valve body inside the case. The valve body supporting portion includes a selecting portion for positioning the vent hole, which is provided on a discharge port side at a position away from the positioning portion by a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction of the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yukihiro Ito, Atsuki Yamaguchi, Hiroaki Kito, Mitsuhiro Buichi
  • Patent number: 11299387
    Abstract: A casing 100 of fuel shutoff valve 10 includes a housing 120 having a partition part 122 with a communication hole 124, the partition part 122 dividing the inside of the casing into an upper space CU and a lower space CL, a check valve case 140 supporting a check valve structure 142, and a cutoff valve case 160 storing a float 162. The casing 100 includes a communication passage C10 connecting a space C16 storing the float 162 and a space C14 in the check valve case 140 and having a delivery opening 168 of the cutoff valve case, the communication hole 124, and a reception opening 146 of the check valve case. The reception opening 146 deviates relative to the delivery opening 168. The check valve case 140 includes an additional flow path part C142 allowing the circulation of fuel vapor, together with the communication hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Iino, Yoshihiro Sakata, Hiroaki Kito
  • Patent number: 10946737
    Abstract: A first casing has an internal cylindrical region defined as a floating/sinking guiding region for a float valve. The wall that forms the cylindrical region includes ventilation windows. A second casing surrounds the first casing to form, about the periphery of the first casing, a ventilation passage that guides fuel vapor in a fuel tank to the ventilation windows through a region that surrounds the first casing. In addition, the second casing surrounds the first casing from a first connection hole side to form, about the periphery of the first casing, a first ventilation passage that guides the fuel vapor in the fuel tank to the ventilation windows through the region that surrounds the first casing, and a second ventilation passage that has a larger passage cross-sectional area than the first ventilation passage. These ventilation passages stabilize floating/sinking operation of the float.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Iino, Hiroaki Kito
  • Publication number: 20210024347
    Abstract: A casing 100 of fuel shutoff valve 10 includes a housing 120 having a partition part 122 with a communication hole 124, the partition part 122 dividing the inside of the casing into an upper space CU and a lower space CL, a check valve case 140 supporting a check valve structure 142, and a cutoff valve case 160 storing a float 162. The casing 100 includes a communication passage C10 connecting a space C16 storing the float 162 and a space C14 in the check valve case 140 and having a delivery opening 168 of the cutoff valve case, the communication hole 124, and a reception opening 146 of the check valve case. The reception opening 146 deviates relative to the delivery opening 168. The check valve case 140 includes an additional flow path part C142 allowing the circulation of fuel vapor, together with the communication hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2020
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Takuro IINO, Yoshihiro SAKATA, Hiroaki KITO
  • Patent number: 10773589
    Abstract: A check valve for fuel tank comprises a joint that is fixed to a fuel tank, a passage forming part, and a valve member. The joint is connected to one end of the passage forming part, and an outlet is formed at the other end of the passage forming part. The valve member that opens and closes the outlet. The valve member comprises a valve element, a spring bearing part, a holding part continuous to at least one of the joint and the passage forming part, and a compression coil spring. The joint and the passage forming part are communicated to each other to form a fuel passage. At the end on the joint side of the passage forming part in the fuel passage, there is formed a diameter enlarged portion having an inner diameter gradually increasing from a fuel supply pipe side toward the outlet side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuro Iino, Hiroaki Kito
  • Publication number: 20200086737
    Abstract: There is provided a check valve for a fuel tank, including a cover to be welded to the fuel tank, a case welded to the cover and having a discharge port configured to discharge fuel into the fuel tank, and a valve body configured to open and close the discharge port. The cover includes a positioning portion on an outer circumferential surface. The case includes a vent hole which is arranged upward in a circumferential direction of the case when the check valve is mounted on the fuel tank, and a valve body supporting portion which supports the valve body inside the case. The valve body supporting portion includes a selecting portion for positioning the vent hole, which is provided on a discharge port side at a position away from the positioning portion by a predetermined angle in the circumferential direction of the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Yukihiro ITO, Atsuki YAMAGUCHI, Hiroaki KITO, Mitsuhiro BUICHI
  • Patent number: 10518634
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for supplying fuel to a fuel tank, includes: a flow path forming member configured to form a fuel flow path; and an injection port forming member, arranged in the fuel flow path, configured to form an injection port into which a fueling nozzle, configured to discharge the fuel, is inserted, wherein at least one of the flow path forming member and the injection port forming member includes an impact absorbing part to be contacted with the other and configured to absorb an impact to be produced by the fueling nozzle when the fueling nozzle comes into contact with the injection port forming member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Sanae Noro
  • Patent number: 10493841
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel supply device comprising a filler neck body provided in a tubular shape to include an opening which a fueling gun is inserted in and a connection port formed on a fuel tank-side end of the filler neck body and configured to form a fuel passage; and a neck integrated component located on an inner side of the filler neck body and configured to form an insertion passage. The neck integrated component is arranged to engage with inside of the filler neck body on a fuel tank side or with a fuel tank-side end of the filler neck body. This configuration suppresses a fueling gun from being stuck during insertion and reduces the possibility that the engagement part of the filler neck body and the neck integrated component is damaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu, Sanae Noro
  • Publication number: 20190263256
    Abstract: A first casing has an internal cylindrical region defined as a floating/sinking guiding region for a float valve. The wall that forms the cylindrical region includes ventilation windows. A second casing surrounds the first casing to form, about the periphery of the first casing, a ventilation passage that guides fuel vapor in a fuel tank to the ventilation windows through a region that surrounds the first casing. In addition, the second casing surrounds the first casing from a first connection hole side to form, about the periphery of the first casing, a first ventilation passage that guides the fuel vapor in the fuel tank to the ventilation windows through the region that surrounds the first casing, and a second ventilation passage that has a larger passage cross-sectional area than the first ventilation passage. These ventilation passages stabilize floating/sinking operation of the float.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Inventors: Takuro IINO, Hiroaki KITO
  • Publication number: 20190092162
    Abstract: A check valve for fuel tank comprises a joint that is fixed to a fuel tank, a passage forming part, and a valve member. The joint is connected to one end of the passage forming part, and an outlet is formed at the other end of the passage forming part. The valve member that opens and closes the outlet. The valve member comprises a valve element, a spring bearing part, a holding part continuous to at least one of the joint and the passage forming part, and a compression coil spring. The joint and the passage forming part are communicated to each other to form a fuel passage. At the end on the joint side of the passage forming part in the fuel passage, there is formed a diameter enlarged portion having an inner diameter gradually increasing from a fuel supply pipe side toward the outlet side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Inventors: Takuro IINO, Hiroaki KITO
  • Patent number: 10093175
    Abstract: A fueling device comprises a filler neck that is configured to form a fuel flow path, a cover member, and a restraint portion. An engagement projection provided as an engagement portion of the cover member is engaged with an engaged recess provided as an engaged portion of the filler neck, so that the cover member is mounted to the filler neck on an opening side of the fuel flow path. The restraint portion is configured to restrain the cover member including an engagement extension portion downstream of the engagement projection in the fuel flow path to an outer circumferential wall of the filler neck. This configuration suppresses expansion and deformation of the cover member and avoids separation of the cover member from the filler neck, while maintaining the mounting property of the cover member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 10006565
    Abstract: A fixation member configured to fix a filler pipe to the vehicle body includes a flexural deformation portion. In a non-surrounded state, this flexural deformation portion is not flexurally deformed but is located on the inner side of the outer circumference of a filler neck body. In a surrounded state, the flexural deformation portion is flexurally deformed to induce a pressing force and provides the pressing force to the filler pipe. This configuration suppresses rattling of the filler pipe over a long time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu, Yukiharu Takeuchi, Sanae Noro, Takeshi Aimiya
  • Patent number: 9908405
    Abstract: A fuel supply system includes a filler neck that is provided in a filler neck body formed in a tubular shape and has a pipe connection structure. A first member is formed separately from the filler neck. A second member is formed separately from the filler neck to be different from the first member. The first member and the second member are engaged with each other. At least one of the first member and the second member includes a protective portion that is configured to cover at least part of the pipe connection structure in a state that the first member and the second member are engaged with each other and positions of the first member and the second member are fixed relative to the filler neck. This configuration suppresses damage of the pipe connection structure that is connected with the filler neck in the fuel supply system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 9902259
    Abstract: There is provided a fueling device comprising a filler neck that forms a fuel path region on a filler port side in a fuel path from a filler port for a fuel to a fuel tank; and a mounting member that is mounted to the filler port side of the filler neck to receive a fuel gun. The filler neck includes an enlarged-diameter circumferential wall portion that is provided in upstream of a position where a leading end of the fuel gun inserted from the mounting member at the filler port is placed, and is enlarged outward in a radial direction relative to an opening-side path circumferential wall which is a fuel path circumferential wall on the filler port side, in order to expand a volume of the fuel path. This configuration causes the fuel to flow into a space formed by this enlarged-diameter circumferential wall portion and thereby reduces or suppresses the occurrence of the fuel overflow from the opening of the filler neck after a stop of fueling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu
  • Patent number: 9895968
    Abstract: An object is to provide a fuel supply system having a filler neck formed easily with high accuracy. A fuel supply system is configured to supply fuel ejected from a fuel nozzle to a fuel tank. The fuel supply system comprises a filler neck including a resin filler neck body and a metal retainer. The filler neck body is formed in a tubular shape and has an opening end arranged to form an opening which the fuel nozzle is inserted through. The retainer is placed to cover at least part of the opening end of the filler neck body and is joined with the filler neck body in at least part of the filler neck body by thermal welding.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu
  • Publication number: 20180015821
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus for supplying fuel to a fuel tank, includes: a flow path forming member configured to form a fuel flow path; and an injection port forming member, arranged in the fuel flow path, configured to form an injection port into which a fueling nozzle, configured to discharge the fuel, is inserted, wherein at least one of the flow path forming member and the injection port forming member includes an impact absorbing part to be contacted with the other and configured to absorb an impact to be produced by the fueling nozzle when the fueling nozzle comes into contact with the injection port forming member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroaki KITO, Sanae NORO
  • Patent number: 9855840
    Abstract: A fuel supply apparatus includes a filler neck that is configured to provide a fuel passage communicating with a filler port, and a breather port that is protruded from the filler neck to be connected with a breather pipe. At least part of a valve that is configured to allow for recirculation of the air from the breather piped to the fuel passage is placed inside of the breather port. This allows for downsizing of the configuration in the vicinity of the breather port in the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2018
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu, Sanae Noro
  • Patent number: 9783048
    Abstract: A fuel supply system provided comprises: a resin filler neck configured to have an opening which a fuel nozzle is inserted through and have a multi-layered structure of a conductive layer of electrical conductivity and a non-conductive layer of non-electrical conductivity; a resin fuel pipe connected with the filler neck and configured to have a multi-layered structure including a conductive outer layer of electrical conductivity provided as an outermost layer; and a cap member of electrical conductivity configured to open or close the opening of the filler neck. The filler neck includes a cap member contact part of electrical conductivity arranged to come into contact with the cap member and a conductive outer layer contact part of electrical conductivity arranged to come into contact with the conductive outer layer of the fuel pipe, so as to form a conductive path from the cap member to the conductive outer layer of the fuel pipe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu
  • Publication number: 20170282707
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel supply device comprising a filler neck body provided in a tubular shape to include an opening which a fueling gun is inserted in and a connection port formed on a fuel tank-side end of the filler neck body and configured to form a fuel passage; and a neck integrated component located on an inner side of the filler neck body and configured to form an insertion passage. The neck integrated component is arranged to engage with inside of the filler neck body on a fuel tank side or with a fuel tank-side end of the filler neck body. This configuration suppresses a fueling gun from being stuck during insertion and reduces the possibility that the engagement part of the filler neck body and the neck integrated component is damaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroaki KITO, Yoshinari HIRAMATSU, Sanae NORO
  • Patent number: 9751397
    Abstract: This fueling device comprises a filler neck formed by stacking a first resin layer made of a first resin and a second resin layer made of a second resin that is harder than the first resin, such that the second resin layer is provided on an inner side of the first resin layer; and a mounting member mounted to a fuel injection opening side of the filler neck from outside. The first resin layer has a higher impact resistance than the second resin layer. The second resin layer has a higher fuel permeation resistance than the first resin layer. The filler neck includes an engagement element that is provided on the fuel injection opening side of the filler neck and is extended radially outward from the second resin layer to pass through the first resin layer. The mounting member is engaged with the engagement element to be mounted to the filler neck.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kito, Yoshinari Hiramatsu