Patents by Inventor Katsuhiko Nagasawa

Katsuhiko Nagasawa 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: 11427448
    Abstract: Distance measurements are performed by a fork pocket detection sensor at a position at which the fork pocket detection sensor faces one of fork pockets and at a position at which the fork pocket detection sensor faces the central position in the horizontal direction between the fork pockets on a pallet side face, and information obtained by combining pieces of distance-measurement information acquired by the distance measurements is compared with information of predefined shapes of the fork pockets, so as to specify the positions of the fork pockets. Hereby, it is possible to accurately detect the positions of the fork pockets without causing a decrease of conveyance efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 11097933
    Abstract: A swivel base is provided on a trolley so as to be able to swivel around a vertical axis, and a fork can be slid in a horizontal direction between an advanced position and a retracted position by a sliding mechanism capable of moving up and down along a pillar erected on the swivel base. Thus, it is possible to realize a configuration in which an empty-box skid is loaded in one direction and unloaded in another direction by means of the swiveling swivel base, without employing a configuration in which a plurality of members is supported so as to be able to swivel around different vertical axes. A movable range of the sliding mechanism (a movable range of the fork) in a vertical direction is therefore not significantly limited, and a transfer position of the empty-box skid in the vertical direction can be set to a lower position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Nagasawa, Rui Suzuki, Daiji Sone
  • Patent number: 10984207
    Abstract: Based on information on a plurality of images taken by a plurality of cameras of a QR-code imaging device, either information that label information has been appropriately acquired or information that the label information has not been appropriately acquired is assigned to each of a plurality of parts boxes placed on a forklift. Then, the information assigned to each parts box is displayed over a corresponding parts box in an image showing the parts boxes. By visually checking the image showing the parts boxes, a worker can easily recognize a parts box of which the label information has not been appropriately acquired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiji Sone, Katsuhiko Nagasawa
  • Patent number: 10922509
    Abstract: A label reading system that reads labels attached to packages placed on a conveyor vehicle while the conveyor vehicle passes through a label reading area includes a guide device that guides the conveyor vehicle toward the label reading area, by indicating a traveling speed and a traveling position set in advance so as to enable reading of the labels, and an information reading device that takes images of the labels in the label reading area, and reads information on the labels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiji Sone, Katsuhiko Nagasawa, Keizo Fukushima
  • Publication number: 20200117873
    Abstract: Based on information on a plurality of images taken by a plurality of cameras of a QR-code imaging device, either information that label information has been appropriately acquired or information that the label information has not been appropriately acquired is assigned to each of a plurality of parts boxes placed on a forklift. Then, the information assigned to each parts box is displayed over a corresponding parts box in an image showing the parts boxes. By visually checking the image showing the parts boxes, a worker can easily recognize a parts box of which the label information has not been appropriately acquired.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 16, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiji Sone, Katsuhiko Nagasawa
  • Publication number: 20200109038
    Abstract: Distance measurements are performed by a fork pocket detection sensor at a position at which the fork pocket detection sensor faces one of fork pockets and at a position at which the fork pocket detection sensor faces the central position in the horizontal direction between the fork pockets on a pallet side face, and information obtained by combining pieces of distance-measurement information acquired by the distance measurements is compared with information of predefined shapes of the fork pockets, so as to specify the positions of the fork pockets. Hereby, it is possible to accurately detect the positions of the fork pockets without causing a decrease of conveyance efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Katsuhiko NAGASAWA
  • Publication number: 20200095103
    Abstract: A swivel base is provided on a trolley so as to be able to swivel around a vertical axis, and a fork can be slid in a horizontal direction between an advanced position and a retracted position by a sliding mechanism capable of moving up and down along a pillar erected on the swivel base. Thus, it is possible to realize a configuration in which an empty-box skid is loaded in one direction and unloaded in another direction by means of the swiveling swivel base, without employing a configuration in which a plurality of members is supported so as to be able to swivel around different vertical axes. A movable range of the sliding mechanism (a movable range of the fork) in a vertical direction is therefore not significantly limited, and a transfer position of the empty-box skid in the vertical direction can be set to a lower position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Nagasawa, Rui Suzuki, Daiji Sone
  • Publication number: 20200065538
    Abstract: A label reading system that reads labels attached to packages placed on a conveyor vehicle while the conveyor vehicle passes through a label reading area includes a guide device that guides the conveyor vehicle toward the label reading area, by indicating a traveling speed and a traveling position set in advance so as to enable reading of the labels, and an information reading device that takes images of the labels in the label reading area, and reads information on the labels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daiji Sone, Katsuhiko Nagasawa, Keizo Fukushima