Patents by Inventor Itsuo Honda

Itsuo Honda 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: 9586475
    Abstract: A fuel tank connector includes an upper chamber provided with a first communication portion relative to a ventilation flow path; and a lower chamber provided with a third communication portion relative to the upper chamber. A bowl-shaped portion narrowing downward is formed in a bottom portion of the upper chamber, and the third communication portion is formed in a bottom of the bowl-shaped portion. A cover body having a container shape, including a top portion and a side portion and opening at a lower face is supported directly above the third communication portion with a ventilation interval between the open edge and the third communication portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Patent number: 9493065
    Abstract: A connector attached to a fuel tank for connecting a ventilation flow passage thereof to the fuel tank is provided. The connector includes an upper chamber provided with a first communication portion relative to the ventilation flow passage; and a lower chamber provided with a second communication portion relative to the fuel tank, and a third communication portion relative to the upper chamber. A mortar-shaped portion narrowing toward a lower side is formed in a bottom portion of the upper chamber. The third communication portion is formed in a bottom of the mortar-shaped portion, and recesses and protrusions are formed in a wall face of the mortar-shaped portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Patent number: 9482389
    Abstract: A fuel tank plumbing structure includes a first pipe; a second pipe coaxially connected to the first pipe; a flexible locking piece having a protruding end displaced in a radial direction of one of the first pipe or the second pipe; a locking portion formed in another of the first pipe or the second pipe to engage the locking piece; and a lock member annularly formed and fitted externally onto the one of the first pipe or the second pipe, and including an escape groove portion and a control wall portion arranged adjacent to the escape groove. The lock member is displaced in an axis line direction of the one of the first pipe or the second pipe between a first position wherein the locking piece is displaced toward the escape groove portion, and a second position wherein the locking piece abuts against the control wall portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Toshio Hattori
  • Patent number: 9050886
    Abstract: An exhaust valve device for a fuel tank includes a casing partitioning an inside into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a bulkhead including a through hole, an inflow hole communicating the lower chamber and an inside of the fuel tank, an exhaust hole communicating a side portion of the upper chamber and an outside of the fuel tank, and a float valve displaceably supported in the lower chamber. A portion defining the upper chamber of the casing includes a cylinder portion and a circular plate closing an upper end of the cylinder portion. A buffer chamber is defined between the cylinder body and the bulkhead to communicate with the lower chamber by the through hole. In a side wall on a side opposing an exhaust hole side of the cylinder body, a first ventilation hole communicating the buffer chamber and the upper chamber is formed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2015
    Assignee: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Patent number: 8826947
    Abstract: A valve device used by being attached to a fuel tank includes a case provided with an airflow valve opening which communicates with the outside of the tank, on an upper portion, and also provided with a fuel inflow section located on a lower side of the airflow valve opening, and a float body housed in the case so as to be vertically movable, and also seated in the airflow valve opening by being elevated by the fuel flowed into the case through the inflow section. In the case, an airflow section which interconnects the inside of the tank and the inside of the case is formed in a higher side than a waterline of the float body at the seating time, and also at the seating time, this airflow section is restricted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Hirose, Itsuo Honda, Motoharu Takai, Shinzo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140224820
    Abstract: An exhaust valve device for a fuel tank includes a casing partitioning an inside into an upper chamber and a lower chamber by a bulkhead including a through hole, an inflow hole communicating the lower chamber and an inside of the fuel tank, an exhaust hole communicating a side portion of the upper chamber and an outside of the fuel tank, and a float valve displaceably supported in the lower chamber. A portion defining the upper chamber of the casing includes a cylinder portion and a circular plate closing an upper end of the cylinder portion. A buffer chamber is defined between the cylinder body and the bulkhead to communicate with the lower chamber by the through hole. In a side wall on a side opposing an exhaust hole side of the cylinder body, a first ventilation hole communicating the buffer chamber and the upper chamber is formed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Publication number: 20140224819
    Abstract: A fuel tank connector includes an upper chamber provided with a first communication portion relative to a ventilation flow path; and a lower chamber provided with a third communication portion relative to the upper chamber. A bowl-shaped portion narrowing downward is formed in a bottom portion of the upper chamber, and the third communication portion is formed in a bottom of the bowl-shaped portion. A cover body having a container shape, including a top portion and a side portion and opening at a lower face is supported directly above the third communication portion with a ventilation interval between the open edge and the third communication portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Publication date: August 14, 2014
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Publication number: 20140091567
    Abstract: A connector attached to a fuel tank for connecting a ventilation flow passage thereof to the fuel tank is provided. The connector includes an upper chamber provided with a first communication portion relative to the ventilation flow passage; and a lower chamber provided with a second communication portion relative to the fuel tank, and a third communication portion relative to the upper chamber. A mortar-shaped portion narrowing toward a lower side is formed in a bottom portion of the upper chamber. The third communication portion is formed in a bottom of the mortar-shaped portion, and recesses and protrusions are formed in a wall face of the mortar-shaped portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Publication date: April 3, 2014
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Shunpei Nabeya
  • Publication number: 20130127159
    Abstract: A fuel tank plumbing structure adapted to be inserted into a through-hole formed in a wall portion of a fuel tank, includes a first pipe adapted to be attached to the fuel tank; a second pipe coaxially connected to the first pipe; a flexible locking piece protruding in one of either the first or second pipe; a locking portion formed in the other of the first or second pipe, and locking the locking piece; and a lock member to be displaceable between a predetermined first and second position. While the lock member is separated from the locking piece in the first position to allow an engagement and a disengagement of the locking piece and the locking portion, the lock member abuts against the locking piece in the second position to prevent the disengagement of the locking piece from the locking portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Toshio Hattori
  • Patent number: 8307840
    Abstract: A valve device is used by being attached to a fuel tank. The valve device includes a main body portion provided with ventilation openings which become an inner end of a connecting passage with the outside of the fuel tank, a valve body opening and closing the ventilation openings using a liquid surface of a fuel, and a skirt portion extending down from the main body portion so as to surround the valve body, and also constructed so as to admit fuel due to a pressure difference between inside and outside of the fuel tank when the liquid surface of the fuel reaches a cuff portion of the skirt portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Kobayashi, Itsuo Honda
  • Patent number: 8297298
    Abstract: In a vent control valve for a fuel tank, a housing receiving a float assembly therein is provided with a communication hole passed across a wall of the housing, and an opening of the communication hole facing an interior of the housing is directly exposed to an interior of the housing when the float assembly is in a low position and overlaps with a peripheral wall of the float assembly when the float assembly is in a high position. By suitably selecting the size of the communication hole and/or the number thereof, a desired delay in the dropping of the liquid fuel level in the housing following the filling up of the fuel tank can be achieved. Thereby, overfilling of the fuel tank can be avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignees: Nifco, Inc., Yachiyo Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Matsuzaki, Takatsugu Hirose, Motoharu Takai, Itsuo Honda
  • Publication number: 20110139301
    Abstract: A valve device used by being attached to a fuel tank includes a case provided with an airflow valve opening which communicates with the outside of the tank, on an upper portion, and also provided with a fuel inflow section located on a lower side of the airflow valve opening, and a float body housed in the case so as to be vertically movable, and also seated in the airflow valve opening by being elevated by the fuel flowed into the case through the inflow section. In the case, an airflow section which interconnects the inside of the tank and the inside of the case is formed in a higher side than a waterline of the float body at the seating time, and also at the seating time, this airflow section is restricted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Takatsugu Hirose, Itsuo Honda, Motoharu Takai, Shinzo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20100224265
    Abstract: A valve device is used by being attached to a fuel tank. The valve device includes a main body portion provided with ventilation openings which become an inner end of a connecting passage with the outside of the fuel tank, a valve body opening and closing the ventilation openings using a liquid surface of a fuel, and a skirt portion extending down from the main body portion so as to surround the valve body, and also constructed so as to admit fuel due to a pressure difference between inside and outside of the fuel tank when the liquid surface of the fuel reaches a cuff portion of the skirt portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2008
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Yasutomo Kobayashi, Itsuo Honda
  • Publication number: 20100200079
    Abstract: In a vent control valve for a fuel tank, a housing receiving a float assembly therein is provided with a communication hole passed across a wall of the housing, and an opening of the communication hole facing an interior of the housing is directly exposed to an interior of the housing when the float assembly is in a low position and overlaps with a peripheral wall of the float assembly when the float assembly is in a high position. By suitably selecting the size of the communication hole and/or the number thereof, a desired delay in the dropping of the liquid fuel level in the housing following the filling up of the fuel tank can be achieved. Thereby, overfilling of the fuel tank can be avoided. As the float assembly drops to such an extent as to clear the communication hole, the fuel vapor is allowed to flow more freely into the interior of the housing via the communication hole, and this causes an increase in the speed of the float to drop.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 12, 2010
    Applicants: NIFCO INC., YACHIYO INDUSTRY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Toru Matsuzaki, Takatsugu Hirose, Motoharu Takai, Itsuo Honda
  • Patent number: 7066436
    Abstract: A box device includes a box body having a housing portion with an upper opening, and a front movable member and a rear movable member slidably disposed in front and rear directions in the box body for opening and closing the upper opening of the housing portion. The box device further includes a first guide portion engaging the front movable member for guiding the front movable member to slide in the front and rear directions; a second guide portion engaging the rear movable member for guiding the rear movable member to slide in the front and rear directions; and an engaging device for connecting and disconnecting the front movable member and the rear movable member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2006
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Atsushi Takahashi, Kazuomi Sakata
  • Publication number: 20060060741
    Abstract: A cup holder unit includes an outer case, an inner case slidable between a pulled-out position and a stored position, a main holder member slidable between a usable position and a non-usable position, and a connecting member pivotally supported on the inner case. The connecting member has an abutment section to abut against a corresponding section of the main holder member halfway through pulling of the main holder member from the non-usable position so that the main holder member can be pulled out together with the inner case, and a tab to engage a notched section when the inner case is substantially fully pulled out to the pulled-out position. A disengaging abutment section is formed at the connecting member to disengage the tab from the notched section by abutting against the corresponding section halfway through pushing the main holder member from the usable position to the non-usable position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2005
    Publication date: March 23, 2006
    Applicant: NIFCO INC.
    Inventors: Yousuke Yanagita, Itsuo Honda
  • Publication number: 20050006546
    Abstract: A box device includes a box body having a housing portion with an upper opening, and a front movable member and a rear movable member slidably disposed in front and rear directions in the box body for opening and closing the upper opening of the housing portion. The box device further includes a first guide portion engaging the front movable member for guiding the front movable member to slide in the front and rear directions; a second guide portion engaging the rear movable member for guiding the rear movable member to slide in the front and rear directions; and an engaging device for connecting and disconnecting the front movable member and the rear movable member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2004
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Itsuo Honda, Atsushi Ogawa, Kazuomi Sakata
  • Patent number: 6575705
    Abstract: A jet pump has a jet nozzle that discharges an operating fluid, a chamber into which a transfer fluid flows and which encloses the end of the jet nozzle, a throat pipe having a constriction portion and a jet nozzle through which the transfer fluid that flows into the chamber is discharged. The discharge end of the throat pipe has a smaller diameter than the base end, and is bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from the base end.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignees: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Nifco Inc.
    Inventors: Yasunori Akiyama, Taiki Aoyama, Tsuyoshi Kato, Itsuo Honda
  • Patent number: 6464872
    Abstract: A fuel filter of the invention is attached to a suction side of a fuel pump. The filter includes a bag member made of a filtration material, a cylindrical portion provided to the bag member to allow the suction side of the fuel pump to communicate with an interior of the bag member, and a shape keeping frame for the bag member extending from the cylindrical portion to an inside of the bag member. The shape keeping frame includes a plate shape portion to make a surface contact with an inner surface of the bag member in front of an opening of the cylindrical portion inside the bag member. Thus, the fuel filter does not impair a suction ability of the fuel pump even if a space between the opening of the cylindrical portion as the suction side of the fuel pump and the inner surface of the bag member opposed thereto is narrow.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2002
    Assignee: Nifco Inc.
    Inventor: Itsuo Honda
  • Publication number: 20020031431
    Abstract: A jet pump has a jet nozzle that discharges an operating fluid, a chamber into which a transfer fluid flows and which encloses the end of the jet nozzle, a throat pipe having a constriction portion and a jet nozzle through which the transfer fluid that flows into the chamber is discharged. The discharge end of the throat pipe has a smaller diameter than the base end, and is bent at an angle of approximately 90 degrees from the base end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Publication date: March 14, 2002
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasunori Akiyama, Taiki Aoyama, Tsuyoshi Kato, Itsuo Honda