Patents by Inventor Kazuaki Bito

Kazuaki Bito 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: 7530597
    Abstract: The airbag device for front passenger's seat of the present invention includes an airbag protruding and deploying from an opening for protrusion in instrument panel in front of front passenger's seat when activated. The airbag includes a bag-shaped airbag body constituting outer wall of the airbag, and a flow regulating cloth disposed inside the airbag body. The flow regulating cloth inflates firstly upon inflow of inflation gas, and redirects the gas before supplying the same to the airbag body for promoting deployment of the airbag body. The flow regulating cloth includes a circumferential wall provided with left and right gas outlet ports for emitting gas outward in left and right directions. When the airbag is inflated, parts of the circumferential wall of the left and right outlet ports project from the opening in instrument panel in left-right direction, such that the parts deploy above top face of the instrument panel in a periphery of the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2009
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20090085331
    Abstract: The airbag of the present invention, when completely inflated, is formed into a generally square conical shape whose top is in a front end of the airbag. A protection portion to be located in rear side of the airbag upon airbag inflation includes shoulder restraining portions disposed generally side by side in left-right orientation in an area from upper part to rear part of the completely inflated airbag. Each of the shoulder restraining portions continuously projects in upper part to rear part of the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20090079170
    Abstract: An airbag apparatus for protecting knees is provided. A breakable portion is provided in a wall of a glove compartment door for opening and closing an opening of a glove compartment. The wall faces a vehicle passenger compartment. An airbag case for housing an airbag, which is inflated by inflation fluid, is installed inside the wall. A front part of the airbag case is caused to function as a pressure receiving portion for receiving a pressure of the inflation fluid through the inflating airbag, thereby generating a reaction force advancing toward the rear side of the vehicle, so that the breakable portion is broken by the airbag inflating toward the rear side of the vehicle. The airbag is caused to protrude from the glove compartment door to the rear side of the vehicle through the breakable portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kazuaki Bito, Yasuhiro Sakakibara, Chiharu Totani, Takahiko Sato
  • Patent number: 7475906
    Abstract: The airbag apparatus includes an airbag provided with a flap element for opening and closing an exhaust hole. The flap element includes a flap and an adjusting belt. The leading end region of the adjusting belt is sewn to the flap by a generally straight sewn seam and acts as a joint portion to the flap. The root region of the adjusting belt is joined to an open/close mechanism. A first terminal of the sewn seam disposed proximate a root region of the joint portion is located farther away from the open/close mechanism relative to a second terminal disposed proximate a leading end of the joint portion. The sewn seam is configured rupturable from the first terminal when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt engaged with the open/close mechanism to separate the joint portion of the adjusting belt from the flap body so the flap uncovers the exhaust hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2009
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Goto, Kazuaki Bito, Naohiko Ishiguro
  • Patent number: 7455317
    Abstract: The airbag of the present invention, when completely inflated, is formed into a generally square conical shape whose top is in a front end of the airbag. A protection portion to be located in rear side of the airbag upon airbag inflation includes shoulder restraining portions disposed generally side by side in left-right orientation in an area from upper part to rear part of the completely inflated airbag. Each of the shoulder restraining portions continuously projects in upper part to rear part of the airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080284147
    Abstract: The airbag apparatus includes an airbag provided with a flap element for opening and closing an exhaust hole. The flap element includes a flap and an adjusting belt. The leading end region of the adjusting belt is sewn to the flap by a generally straight sewn seam and acts as a joint portion to the flap. The root region of the adjusting belt is joined to an open/close mechanism. A first terminal of the sewn seam disposed proximate a root region of the joint portion is located farther away from the open/close mechanism relative to a second terminal disposed proximate a leading end of the joint portion. The sewn seam is configured rupturable from the first terminal when the airbag inflates with the adjusting belt engaged with the open/close mechanism to separate the joint portion of the adjusting belt from the flap body so the flap uncovers the exhaust hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Goto, Kazuaki Bito, Naohiko Ishiguro
  • Publication number: 20080217890
    Abstract: A steering column device with a knee airbag device includes a steering column provided with a telescopic mechanism; a column cover that covers the rear end portion of the steering column; an airbag module, provided inside the column cover, which includes a gas generation device that generates gas, and a knee airbag that is inflated and deployed by the gas; an airbag door that is provided in the column cover, and that is opened when the airbag door receives the inflation pressure of the knee airbag; a collision prediction device that predicts that a vehicle will have a collision with a collision object; and a control device that operates the telescopic mechanism so that each of the column cover and the airbag module is moved rearward to a predetermined position, when the collision prediction device predicts that the vehicle will have a collision with the collision object.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080217888
    Abstract: In a steering column provided with a knee airbag device to a vehicle, an airbag module, which is integrally provided on an airbag door formed separately from a column lower cover, is fitted to a column tube after a steering column body is assembled, and before a steering lock is fitted to the column tube. Then, after the airbag module is fitted to the column tube, a steering column sub-assembly, which is formed by fitting at least the steering lock to the column tube, is fitted to an instrument panel provided in a vehicle at a predetermined position. After the steering column sub-assembly is fitted to the instrument panel, the column lower cover and a column upper cover, which cover a rear end portion of the steering column, are fitted to the steering column.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu FUKAWATASE, Kenji IMAMURA, Akiyoshi SANADA, Yuichi ADACHI, Kazuaki BITO
  • Publication number: 20080211212
    Abstract: The steering column includes a column body, a column cover formed into a generally tubular contour and mounted around the column body and an airbag apparatus. The column cover includes an upper cover and a lower cover. The lower cover is separable from the upper cover and is split into a front section disposed proximate the airbag apparatus and a rear section disposed proximate a combination switch unit disposed at the rear of the airbag apparatus inside the column cover. The rear section is configured separable from the front section as is secured to the column body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicants: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
  • Publication number: 20080211214
    Abstract: An air bag system of the invention includes an air bag having a discharge port which discharges part of inflation gas when it opens and an opening and closing control unit which enables the control of opening and closing of the discharge port. The air bag includes a bag main body, a discharge portion provided in the bag main body, and a connecting member which is provided within the bag main body and which is connected to the discharge portion on a bottom portion side thereof and connected to the opening and closing control unit on a tip end side thereof. The discharge portion is withdrawn into the bag main body by the connecting member with the connection of the connecting member with the opening and closing control unit maintained, so as to maintain the discharge port in a closed state, while with the connection of the connecting member with the opening and closing control unit canceled, the discharge portion is made to protrude from the bag main body, so as to open the discharge port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2008
    Publication date: September 4, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiko Ishiguro, Michihisa Asaoka, Hitoshi Iida, Kazuaki Bito, Yoshiaki Goto
  • Patent number: 7404575
    Abstract: An air bag apparatus having a constitution of developing an air bag folded to contain in a case to a rear side of a vehicle by making an expanding gas flow from a gas flow inlet in expanding to develop the air bag. The air bag is arranged with a through hole. The air bag is constituted by a ring-like member arranged with a lower expanded portion arranged with a gas flow inlet, an upper expanded portion arranged to an upper side of the lower expanded portion to communicate with a front side of the lower expanded portion, and a rear expanded portion arranged to connect to a rear part of the lower expanded portion and a rear part of the upper expanded portion at a surrounding of the through hole. The air bag is constituted to finish to expand by closing the through hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Bito, Kazutoshi Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20080174091
    Abstract: When a knee airbag is deployed, a lid, which is provided in a column cover that covers a steering column, is opened by the deployment pressure of the knee airbag. Thus, an opening, through which the knee airbag expands, is formed to extend in the lower wall portion and the right and left side wall portions of the column cover. At this time, an opening amount regulation portion regulates the opening amount of the lid so that the knee airbag is deployed toward areas on right and left sides of the column cover.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 3, 2008
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Hoshino, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080174094
    Abstract: The airbag apparatus includes an airbag, a tether, a vent mechanism and an actuator. When the actuator is activated, a portion of the tether is retained by a movable member of the actuator to reduce the degree of protrusion of the airbag while the vent mechanism is released from the movable member to open up a vent opening and increase emission of inflation gas. When the actuator is inactive, the portion of the tether is detached from a position where the portion would otherwise be retained by the movable member to increase the degree of protrusion of the airbag while the vent mechanism is retained by the movable member to close off the vent opening and reduce the emission of gas. Further, the actuator may be activated at a delayed timing to open up the vent opening to increase the gas emission after the tether is configured to increase the protruding degree of the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 24, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080143087
    Abstract: The airbag apparatus includes a case for housing and holding an airbag and an inflator. The case includes a vent opening for releasing inflation gas filled inside the airbag and a lid operated by an actuator for closing and opening the vent opening. The lid is pivotally supported at a periphery of the vent opening for rotation about its rotary shaft disposed across the vent opening, and includes an outward-opening area adapted to rotate outward of the case and an inward-opening area adapted to rotate inward of the case, with a border of the outward-opening area and inward-opening area disposed on the rotary shaft. A sliding element is connected to the actuator for holding the lid to keep the vent opening closed when the actuator is inactive and for sliding movement to release the lid and open the vent opening upon operation of the actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Yamauchi, Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080116669
    Abstract: A knee-protecting airbag device is configured so that a folded airbag is accommodated and held in an accommodation part at the side of a lower portion in a column cover. An outer peripheral wall at completion of inflation of the airbag includes a driver-side wall portion and a column-sidewall portion. At the completion of inflation of the airbag, the column-side wall portion covers a bottom surface of a periphery of the accommodation part of the column cover, and areas of a panel surface, which are located at both left and right sides of the column cover from below the column cover. A front-side portion and a rear-side portion of the column-side wall portion are set so that at the completion of inflation of the single airbag, the intersection angle between a front surface of the front-side part and a front surface of the rear-side part is substantially equal to the intersection angle between the panel surface and a bottom surface of the column cover protruded from the panel surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: May 22, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080111353
    Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover inside which a projection body that projects downward toward one side in a vehicle-width direction is disposed in a rear area, and a cylindrical inflator that supplies the gas to the knee airbag to deploy the knee airbag. The inflator is disposed inside the steering column cover such that at least a portion of the inflator is positioned in the rear area inside the steering column cover. The inflator is disposed in substantially parallel with an axis of a column tube such that the inflator is positioned below the column tube. The end portion of the inflator, in which a gas injection port is formed, faces toward a rear of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2007
    Publication date: May 15, 2008
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080100042
    Abstract: A knee protecting air bag apparatus M1 is mounted to a column cover 16 for covering a column cover 16 for covering a steering column. In operating the apparatus M1, a contained air bag 45 is supplied with an expanding gas G and is projected from the column cover 16 to be able to protect the knee of a driver while being expanded to develop. The column cover 16 includes a door portion 34 opened by being pressed by the air bag to be able to form a projecting opening 22 of the air bag 45 at two left ad right side faces 18b, 18c from a side of a lower face 18a. Inside of the air bag 45 is arranged with a gas flow restricting member 64 such that the expanding gas G is made to flow to a left door portion 36 and a right door portion 37 of the door portion 34 by being directed in outer directions of both left and right sides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicants: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
  • Patent number: 7360789
    Abstract: An airbag device for front passenger's seat of the present invention includes an airbag folded and housed in a case. A rear side face of the airbag as completely deployed confronts an occupant and serves as a restraint face. The airbag includes an upper inflatable portion and a lower inflatable portion arranged vertically at airbag inflation. Rear side faces of each of the upper and lower inflatable portions define upper part and lower part of the restraint face. A lower wall of the upper inflatable portion and a top wall of the lower inflatable portion contact and overlap with each other as the airbag is completely inflated, and contacting face of the top wall and the lower wall is wide enough to stay contacted even when either the upper inflatable portion or the lower inflatable portion restrains a part of occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080079245
    Abstract: A lower limb protecting airbag apparatus M1 is provided in front of the lower limbs L of an occupant D seated in a seat. At the collision of vehicles, the lower limb protecting airbag apparatus is operated to be able to protect the lower limbs of the occupant so that an airbag having inflated in front of the lower limbs is disposed therein. An accommodating part configured to accommodate and hold the airbag is supported by a support arm. A servo motor is activated to cause the support arm to feed the accommodating part from a standby position to a working position at which the airbag is expanded and inflated. The accommodating part has a support portion which can support a front surface side when the airbag having completed inflation at the working position catches the lower limbs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2007
    Publication date: April 3, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Kazuaki Bito
  • Publication number: 20080054608
    Abstract: The airbag apparatus includes an airbag housed in a folded state and an inflator for supplying inflation gas to the airbag. The inflator includes a first gas supply region and a second gas supply region respectively supplying inflation gas into the airbag under control of a control device. The first gas supply region is operable independently and in advance of the second gas supply region. The substance quantity of inflation gas supplied to the airbag by the first gas supply region per unit time at the time the first gas supply region operates independently and in advance of the second gas supply region is less than the substance quantity of inflation gas supplied to the airbag by the second gas supply region per unit time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuaki Bito, Hiroki Murase, Kazutoshi Hayashi