Patents by Inventor Isao Tohda
Isao Tohda 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).
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Patent number: 7658440Abstract: An arrangement structure for an auxiliary component of a vehicle includes a floor panel defining the bottom surface of the passenger compartment. The floor panel includes a first kick-up portion and a second kick-up portion disposed in side-by-side relation to the first kick-up portion in a lateral direction of a vehicle body. The second kick-up portion is formed to have a height greater than that of the first kick-up portion. A first seat is disposed on the first kick-up portion, a second seat is formed to have a smaller size than that of the first seat and disposed on the second kick-up portion, and a cross member is joined along the second kick-up portion in the lateral direction to form a closed section therebetween. The arrangement structure of the present invention allows a vehicle to have a low overall-height compact body while achieving enhanced layout flexibility and assuring a passenger compartment space.Type: GrantFiled: March 30, 2006Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka, Katsumasa Sogame, Shigeyuki Mori
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Publication number: 20090224567Abstract: A trunk lid is provided so as to rotate around a front end portion thereof in such a manner that its back face in an open state faces substantially upward, and there is provided a support mechanism to support the trunk lid in the open state. Accordingly, there can be provided a baggage compartment structure of a vehicle which comprises a trunk room which is provided at a rear portion of a vehicle body so that an opening formed at an upper face thereof can be closed with the trunk lid, which can properly load various types of large-sized baggage without having the large and complex structure and damaging the vehicle design improperly.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 28, 2009Publication date: September 10, 2009Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao TOHDA, Kenji ASADA, Shigeyuki MORI
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Patent number: 7281971Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle including a vehicle roof capable of opening, there are provided a driver seat and a passenger seat which are provided at right and left sides in a vehicle compartment, plural conditioned-air blowoff ports provided for the driver seat and the passenger seat respectively, and an air conditioning control device operative to adjust respective characteristics of conditioned air for the driver seat and the passenger seat, separately. Accordingly, needs of each passenger on the driver seat and the passenger seat during a vehicle driving with the vehicle roof open can be attained, thereby improving comfortableness of air conditioning.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2004Date of Patent: October 16, 2007Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka
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Patent number: 7185725Abstract: In a vehicle, a cowl portion for supporting a front end of a windshield is disposed above the dash panel so as to extend in a width direction of the vehicle, an instrument panel member is located backward away from the cowl portion so as to extend in the width direction of the vehicle above the dash panel, a recess portion is formed in such manner that a central portion of the dash panel in the width direction of the vehicle is recessed backward from the cowl portion to the instrument panel member, and the driving device for the vehicle is disposed in the recess portion such that the driving device is located in front of and close to the instrument panel member.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2004Date of Patent: March 6, 2007Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Kouji Iwasaka, Isao Tohda, Yukio Nakamura
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Publication number: 20060238000Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement structure for an auxiliary component of a vehicle, which comprises a floor panel defining the bottom surface of the passenger compartment and having a first kick-up portion and a second kick-up portion disposed in side-by-side relation to the first kick-up portion in a lateral direction of a vehicle body and formed to have a height greater than that of the first kick-up portion, a first seat disposed on the first kick-up portion, a second seat formed to have a smaller size than that of the first seat and disposed on the second kick-up portion, and a cross member joined along the second kick-up portion in the lateral direction to form a closed section therebetween. The auxiliary component includes a first fuel tank arranged below the first kick-up portion, and a second fuel tank formed to have a height greater than that of the first fuel tank and arranged below the second kick-up portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 30, 2006Publication date: October 26, 2006Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka, Katsumasa Sogame, Shigeyuki Mori
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Patent number: 7097233Abstract: A roll bar is provided behind seats of an open car, and there is provided a wind deflector to deflect air flow coming from the vehicle rear during the open-state driving on the roll bar. The wind deflector is configured so as to have air permeability in such a manner that an air permeability rate of its upper section is greater than that of its lower section. Part of air flow passes through the wind deflector. Since the amount of the air flow passing through the lower section of the deflector directed to the neck portion is suppressed compared to the air flow passing through the upper section, both the reducing of the air flow beyond the wind deflector and the suppressing of the passenger feeling displeasure with the air flow (against the neck portion) can be attained, and thereby the passenger can be prevented effectively from feeling displeasure.Type: GrantFiled: June 14, 2005Date of Patent: August 29, 2006Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Katsumasa Sogame, Isao Tohda, Hiroki Ohira, Takaki Nakamura, Yoko Kyubun, Haruo Ohe
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Patent number: 7000726Abstract: An engine positioning structure is used for a rear wheel drive automobile, with an engine mounted in an engine compartment driving the rear wheels. In the automobile having a passenger compartment and the engine compartment, where the two compartments are separated by a dash panel, the engine is positioned so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of a floor panel of the passenger compartment, and a rear end part of the engine is positioned behind a general plane defined by a position corresponding to the position of a passenger relative to a dash panel. The engine positioning structure enables a retreated layout of the engine to be obtained. It also reduces Yaw moment of inertia, and improves the steering stability.Type: GrantFiled: April 23, 2003Date of Patent: February 21, 2006Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Taichi Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Kouhara, Osamu Kishi, Yukio Nakamura, Isao Tohda, Katsumasa Sogame, Masayoshi Sannomiya
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Publication number: 20050280285Abstract: A roll bar is provided behind seats of an open car, and there is provided a wind deflector to deflect air flow coming from the vehicle rear during the open-state driving on the roll bar. The wind deflector is configured so as to have air permeability in such a manner that an air permeability rate of its upper section is greater than that of its lower section. Part of air flow passes through the wind deflector. Since the amount of the air flow passing through the lower section of the deflector directed to the neck portion is suppressed compared to the air flow passing through the upper section, both the reducing of the air flow beyond the wind deflector and the suppressing of the passenger feeling displeasure with the air flow (against the neck portion) can be attained, and thereby the passenger can be prevented effectively from feeling displeasure.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 14, 2005Publication date: December 22, 2005Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Katsumasa Sogame, Isao Tohda, Hiroki Ohira, Takaki Nakamura, Yoko Kyubun, Haruo Ohe
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Publication number: 20050140172Abstract: A roll bar is provided behind seats of an open car, and there is provided a wind deflector to deflect air flow coming from the vehicle rear during the open-state driving on the roll bar. The wind deflector is configured so as to have air permeability in such a manner that an air permeability rate of its upper section is greater than that of its lower section. Part of air flow passes through the wind deflector, and the passing speed of the air flow passing through its upper section becomes greater than that the air flow passing through its lower section. Accordingly, the air pressure decrease of the upper part of air flow becomes greater, and the whole air flow passing through the wind deflector tends to be directed upward.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2004Publication date: June 30, 2005Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Katsumasa Sogame, Isao Tohda, Hiroki Ohira, Takaki Nakamura, Yoko Kyubun, Haruo Ohe
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Publication number: 20050061498Abstract: In an air conditioner for a vehicle including a vehicle roof capable of opening, there are provided a driver seat and a passenger seat which are provided at right and left sides in a vehicle compartment, plural conditioned-air blowoff ports provided for the driver seat and the passenger seat respectively, and an air conditioning control device operative to adjust respective characteristics of conditioned air for the driver seat and the passenger seat, separately. Accordingly, needs of each passenger on the driver seat and the passenger seat during a vehicle driving with the vehicle roof open can be attained, thereby improving comfortableness of air conditioning.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2004Publication date: March 24, 2005Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka
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Publication number: 20050011640Abstract: A rear air conditioning unit is disposed behind a rear bulkhead separating a rear portion of a passenger compartment. The rear air conditioning unit takes in inside-and-outside air for air conditioning via a rear cowl portion disposed above the rear bulkhead head and blows off conditioned air into the passenger compartment. Accordingly, since a layout of an air conditioning unit disposed at the front side of the vehicle is omitted, an engine as a heavy article can be located at the center side of the vehicle and a yaw inertia moment of the vehicle can be reduced, thereby improving maneuverability and stability of the vehicle and dynamic performance of the vehicle. Further, a layout of the rear air conditioning unit and induction of the inside-and-outside air can be made compatible.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2004Publication date: January 20, 2005Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Kouji Iwasaka, Yukio Nakamura
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Publication number: 20050006168Abstract: In a vehicle, a cowl portion for supporting a front end of a windshield is disposed above the dash panel so as to extend in a width direction of the vehicle, an instrument panel member is located backward away from the cowl portion so as to extend in the width direction of the vehicle above the dash panel, a recess portion is formed in such manner that a central portion of the dash panel in the width direction of the vehicle is recessed backward from the cowl portion to the instrument panel member, and the driving device for the vehicle is disposed in the recess portion such that the driving device is located in front of and close to the instrument panel member.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 9, 2004Publication date: January 13, 2005Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Kouji Iwasaka, Isao Tohda, Yukio Nakamura
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Patent number: 6767044Abstract: A roof construction for a vehicle that uncovers a roof space above a passenger compartment of a vehicle body and covers the roof space, partly or fully, comprises a roof assembly, e.g. front, intermediate and rear roof panels, that is movable relatively to the vehicle body in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body so as to selectively shift between three positions, namely a closed position where the roof space is fully closed, a partly open position where the roof space is partly open and a fully open position where the roof space is fully open and a prop link mechanism operative to shift the roof assembly into a selected one of the three positions and to fixedly support the roof assembly in the selected position. During shifting the roof assembly into a selected position, the front and intermediate roof panels are superposed and held horizontally in position.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2002Date of Patent: July 27, 2004Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Kouji Iwasaka
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Patent number: 6764124Abstract: A car body structure for a convertible car that has a folding roof and a transparent windshield covering an front window opening comprises a door opening and closing a door opening in a side body section and a pillar member extending almost vertically from the side body section so as to support each side of the transparent windshield. The pillar member is positioned behind the front window opening so that the transparent windshield extends near besides occupants sitting on a seat of the car.Type: GrantFiled: July 16, 2002Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Naohiro Imaoka
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Patent number: 6702363Abstract: A vehicle with a folding hard roof is provided with a rear passenger space between front and rear seats that is suitably expanded by turning a rear seatback forward down and then moving the rear seatback backward so as to receive the folding hard roof retracted therein.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2003Date of Patent: March 9, 2004Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Kouji Iwasaka
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Publication number: 20030201133Abstract: An engine positioning structure is used for a rear wheel drive automobile, with an engine mounted in an engine compartment driving the rear wheels. In the automobile having a passenger compartment and the engine compartment, where the two compartments being separated by a dash panel, the engine is positioned so that a rotation axis of the engine is at a position higher than the height of a floor panel of the passenger compartment, and a rear end part of the engine is positioned behind a general plane defined by a position corresponding to the position of a passenger relative to a dash panel. The engine positioning structure enables to obtain retreated layout of the engine. It also reduces Yaw moment of inertia, and improves the steering stability.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2003Publication date: October 30, 2003Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Taichi Kobayashi, Yasuhiro Kouhara, Osamu Kishi, Yukio Nakamura, Isao Tohda, Katsumasa Sogame, Masayoshi Sannomiya
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Publication number: 20030160475Abstract: A vehicle with a folding hard roof is provided with a rear passenger space between front and rear seats that is suitably expanded by turning a rear seatback forward down and then moving the rear seatback backward so as to receive the folding hard roof retracted therein.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2003Publication date: August 28, 2003Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Kouji Iwasaka
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Publication number: 20030057727Abstract: A roof construction for a vehicle that uncovers a roof space above a passenger compartment of a vehicle body and covers the roof space, partly or fully, comprises a roof assembly, e.g. front, intermediate and rear roof panels, that is movable relatively to the vehicle body in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle body so as to selectively shift between three positions, namely a closed position where the roof space is fully closed, a partly open position where the roof space is partly open and a fully open position where the roof space is fully open and a prop link mechanism operative to shift the roof assembly into a selected one of the three positions and to fixedly support the roof assembly in the selected position. During shifting the roof assembly into a selected position, the front and intermediate roof panels are superposed and held horizontally in position.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 26, 2002Publication date: March 27, 2003Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Kouji Iwasaka
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Publication number: 20030030297Abstract: A car body structure for a convertible car that has a folding roof and a transparent windshield covering an front window opening comprises a door opening and closing a door opening in a side body section and a pillar member extending almost vertically from the side body section so as to support each side of the transparent windshield. The pillar member is positioned behind the front window opening so that the transparent windshield extends near besides occupants sitting on a seat of the car.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 16, 2002Publication date: February 13, 2003Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Tohda, Haruo Ohe, Naohiro Imaoka
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Patent number: 6447049Abstract: A pedestrian protective front body structure for a vehicle includes a front spoiler provided with desired aerodynamic characteristics and disposed with a separation above from a nose front end of the vehicle body and is provided with a buffer which buffers an impact against the front spoiler from above upon an occurrence of a frontal clash with a pedestrian.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2000Date of Patent: September 10, 2002Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao Tohda, Yukio Nakamura