Patents by Inventor Hitoshi Muraki

Hitoshi Muraki 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: 6889408
    Abstract: A buckle apparatus in which a permanent magnet and GMR element are provided. The polar axis of the permanent magnet is transverse to the direction a tongue plate is inserted. A shielding member is provided to an ejector of the buckle apparatus via a lever. When an inserted tongue plate of a vehicle seat belt pushes and moves the ejector as far as a position at which an engaging piece can engage with a through-hole, the shielding member is interposed between the permanent magnet and the GMR element, and the shielding member shields lines of magnetic force from the permanent magnet toward the GMR element. As a result, magnetic forces lines penetrating the GMR element are greatly reduced, and an electrical resistance value of the GMR element is suddenly and greatly changed. Thus, a buckle apparatus is provided which includes a detection mechanism that can reliably detect when the tongue plate has been inserted into the apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki
  • Patent number: 6797899
    Abstract: An acceleration switch that operates even when acceleration is applied to the acceleration switch from a direction other than a predetermined detection direction. The acceleration switch includes a movable portion, which has a movable electrode, and a fixed electrode. The movable portion includes an inertial weight moved in accordance with the application of acceleration, a beam portion for pivotably supporting the inertial weight, and a plurality of flexible plates that are arranged in the inertial weight and each have a distal end in which the movable electrode is located and are flexed separately from one another. The flexible plates separately move to contact the fixed portion when acceleration is applied from a direction other than a predetermined direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki
  • Patent number: 6746048
    Abstract: A plate spring urges a base of a buckle device toward an anchor insertion opening side with respect to an anchor plate. Provided that urging force of the plate spring exceeds urging force of a spiral spring, the base is held, by the urging force of the plate spring, at a position at which a rivet contacts an insertion direction side end portion of a long hole. However, when the urging force of the spiral spring exceeds the urging force of the plate spring due to, in order to attach a child seat, pulling out of a webbing belt more than at a time when a body is to be restrained, the base moves against the urging force of the plate spring, and the plate spring pushes a transfer rod. Due to this pushing force being detected by a semiconductor diffusion strain gauge, it can be detected that the child seat is attached on a seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Masaya Tajima, Takayuki Hara, Tetsushi Muromachi, Teruhiko Koide, Hitoshi Muraki, Kouichi Itoigawa, Masakata Kanbe
  • Publication number: 20030136654
    Abstract: An acceleration switch that operates even when acceleration is applied to the acceleration switch from a direction other than a predetermined detection direction. The acceleration switch (1) includes a movable portion (M1), which has a movable electrode (12), and a fixed electrode (14). The movable portion includes an inertial weight (8) moved in accordance with the application of acceleration, a beam portion (10) for pivotably supporting the inertial weight, and a plurality flexible plates (11) that are arranged in the inertial weight and each have a distal end in which the movable electrode is located and are flexed separately from one another. The flexible plates separately move to contact the fixed portion when acceleration is applied from a direction other than a predetermined direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2002
    Publication date: July 24, 2003
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki
  • Patent number: 6586691
    Abstract: An acceleration switch that improves detection sensitivity without being enlarged. The acceleration switch includes a switch body, a fixed electrode arranged in the switch body, and a movable weight arranged in the switch body. The movable weight is displaced when subjected to acceleration. The movable weight includes a movable electrode that contacts the fixed electrode when the movable weight is displaced, and a pair of beams connecting the movable weight and the switch body. The beams pivotally support the movable weight and extend into recesses formed in the movable weight.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2003
    Assignee: K.K. Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki, Makoto Murate
  • Publication number: 20030111836
    Abstract: A plate spring urges a base of a buckle device toward an anchor insertion opening side with respect to an anchor plate. Provided that urging force of the plate spring exceeds urging force of a spiral spring, the base is held, by the urging force of the plate spring, at a position at which a rivet contacts an insertion direction side end portion of a long hole. However, when the urging force of the spiral spring exceeds the urging force of the plate spring due to, in order to attach a child seat, pulling out of a webbing belt more than at a time when a body is to be restrained, the base moves against the urging force of the plate spring, and the plate spring pushes a transfer rod. Due to this pushing force being detected by a semiconductor diffusion strain gauge, it can be detected that the child seat is attached on a seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Masaya Tajima, Takayuki Hara, Tetsushi Muromachi, Teruhiko Koide, Hitoshi Muraki, Kouichi Itoigawa, Masakata Kanbe
  • Publication number: 20030101553
    Abstract: A buckle apparatus in which a permanent magnet and a GMR element are provided. A shielding member is provided to an ejector of the buckle apparatus via a lever. When an inserted tongue plate of a vehicle seat belt pushes and moves the ejector as far as a position at which an engaging piece can engage with a through-hole, the shielding member is interposed between the permanent magnet and the GMR element, and the shielding member shields lines of magnetic force from the permanent magnet toward the GMR element. As a result, magnetic forces lines penetrating the GMR element are greatly reduced, and an electrical resistance value of the GMR element is suddenly and greatly changed. Thus, a buckle apparatus is provided which includes a detection mechanism that can reliably detect when the tongue plate has been inserted into the apparatus main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Publication date: June 5, 2003
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki
  • Publication number: 20020000363
    Abstract: An acceleration switch that improves detection sensitivity without being enlarged. The acceleration switch includes a switch body, a fixed electrode arranged in the switch body, and a movable weight arranged in the switch body. The movable weight is displaced when subjected to acceleration. The movable weight includes a movable electrode that contacts the fixed electrode when the movable weight is displaced, and a pair of beams connecting the movable weight and the switch body. The beams pivotally support the movable weight and extend into recesses formed in the movable weight.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2001
    Publication date: January 3, 2002
    Inventors: Kouichi Itoigawa, Hitoshi Muraki, Makoto Murate