Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Iimi

Hitoshi Iimi 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: 8016990
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a cylindrical metallic housing, a sensor element having at a front end thereof a sensing portion and disposed axially in the housing with the sensing portion protruded from a front end of the housing, a sensor terminal fitted to a rear end of the sensor element to produce a signal output from the sensing portion, a first protective cover attached to a front end portion of the housing to cover the sensing portion and a second protective cover attached to a rear end portion of the housing to cover the sensor terminal. The first and second protective covers includes attachment portions attached around the front and rear end portions of the housing, respectively. At least one of the attachment portions of the first and second protective covers has a lower hardness than a remaining portion of the protective cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Taguchi, Takahiro Hayashi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi
  • Publication number: 20070235868
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a cylindrical metallic housing, a sensor element having at a front end thereof a sensing portion and disposed axially in the housing with the sensing portion protruded from a front end of the housing, a sensor terminal fitted to a rear end of the sensor element to produce a signal output from the sensing portion, a first protective cover attached to a front end portion of the housing to cover the sensing portion and a second protective cover attached to a rear end portion of the housing to cover the sensor terminal. The first and second protective covers includes attachment portions attached around the front and rear end portions of the housing, respectively. At least one of the attachment portions of the first and second protective covers has a lower hardness than a remaining portion of the protective cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2007
    Publication date: October 11, 2007
    Inventors: Masataka Taguchi, Takahiro Hayashi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi
  • Patent number: 7241370
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a cylindrical metallic housing, a sensor element having at a front end thereof a sensing portion and disposed axially in the housing with the sensing portion protruded from a front end of the housing, a sensor terminal fitted to a rear end of the sensor element to produce a signal output from the sensing portion, a first protective cover attached to a front end portion of the housing to cover the sensing portion and a second protective cover attached to a rear end portion of the housing to cover the sensor terminal. The first and second protective covers includes attachment portions attached around the front and rear end portions of the housing, respectively. At least one of the attachment portions of the first and second protective covers has a lower hardness than a remaining portion of the protective cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2007
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masataka Taguchi, Takahiro Hayashi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi
  • Patent number: 7032433
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a sensor which is highly reliable, and a method or producing a sensor which is highly reliable, and which can be easily produced. A method of producing a sensor in which bending of a heater and the like hardly occur is provided. In the invention, an oxygen sensor (1) has: an oxygen sensor element (2); a metal shell (3); first and second sensor terminal metal parts (11), (12); a heater (15); heater terminal metal parts (16), (17); a metal outer tube (21); and a separator (31) which is housed inside the metal outer tube (21), in which the terminal metal part (11) and the like and the heater (15) are held, and which provides insulation between the terminal metal part (11) and the like. An outer-tube butting face (34a) is formed in a flange portion (34) of the separator (31). In the metal outer tube (21), a flange butting face (24b) which butts against the outer-tube butting face (34a) is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: NGK Spark Plug Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takahiro Hayashi, Masataka Taguchi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi
  • Publication number: 20050145013
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a sensor which is highly reliable, and a method or producing a sensor which is highly reliable, and which can be easily produced. A method of producing a sensor in which bending of a heater and the like hardly occur is provided. In the invention, an oxygen sensor (1) has: an oxygen sensor element (2); a metal shell (3); first and second sensor terminal metal parts (11), (12); a heater (15); heater terminal metal parts (16), (17); a metal outer tube (21); and a separator (31) which is housed inside the metal outer tube (21), in which the terminal metal part (11) and the like and the heater (15) are held, and which provides insulation between the terminal metal part (11) and the like. An outer-tube butting face (34a) is formed in a flange portion (34) of the separator (31). In the metal outer tube (21), a flange butting face (24b) which butts against the outer-tube butting face (34a) is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Takahiro Hayashi, Masataka Taguchi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi
  • Publication number: 20040035700
    Abstract: A gas sensor comprises a cylindrical metallic housing, a sensor element having at a front end thereof a sensing portion and disposed axially in the housing with the sensing portion protruded from a front end of the housing, a sensor terminal fitted to a rear end of the sensor element to produce a signal output from the sensing portion, a first protective cover attached to a front end portion of the housing to cover the sensing portion and a second protective cover attached to a rear end portion of the housing to cover the sensor terminal. The first and second protective covers includes attachment portions attached around the front and rear end portions of the housing, respectively. At least one of the attachment portions of the first and second protective covers has a lower hardness than a remaining portion of the protective cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: NGK SPARK PLUG CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masataka Taguchi, Takahiro Hayashi, Yasuhiro Fujita, Yoshiaki Matsubara, Hitoshi Iimi