Patents by Inventor Kazuya Fukutani

Kazuya Fukutani 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: 8960779
    Abstract: An opening portion is formed at a specified portion of a roof gusset which covers part of a panel joint portion from below. A pair of center-pillar side joint portions is provided at an outward end portion of the roof gusset, which is joined to a center pillar directly or via another panel member. A pair of first high-rigidity portions is provided at specified portions of the roof gusset which overlap the opening portion in a vehicle width direction and overlap the center-pillar joint portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction, respectively. A second high-rigidity portion is provided at an inward end portion of the roof gusset to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nishimura, Kei Ikeda, Kazuya Fukutani, Naoki Kaneko, Noboru Yoshii
  • Patent number: 8851556
    Abstract: A center pillar includes a first reinforcement panel which is arranged between an outer panel and an inner panel, comprises a bottom wall portion, both-side vertical wall portions extending in a vehicle width direction from the bottom wall portion, and both-side flange portions, and has a cross section formed in substantially a hat shape. A second reinforcement panel comprising a bottom wall portion and both-side vertical wall portions and having a cross section formed in substantially a U shape is arranged inside the first reinforcement panel. The second reinforcement panel is joined to the first reinforcement panel such that only the bottom wall portion and one of the both-side vertical wall portions are joined to the bottom wall portion and one of the both-side vertical wall portions, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Nishimura, Kei Ikeda, Kazuya Fukutani, Naoki Kaneko, Noboru Yoshii
  • Patent number: 8641087
    Abstract: A cell of a curtain airbag is configured such that its upper portion is closed in an inflated state of the curtain airbag, whereas its lower portion is open and connected to a gas flowing passage from an inflator. Accordingly, a passenger protection device of a vehicle which can properly prevent an interior material from being broken and scattered can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hideharu Saiki, Kazuya Fukutani, Hideharu Kaeriyama
  • Publication number: 20140028057
    Abstract: An opening portion is formed at a specified portion of a roof gusset which covers part of a panel joint portion from below. A pair of center-pillar side joint portions is provided at an outward end portion of the roof gusset, which is joined to a center pillar directly or via another panel member. A pair of first high-rigidity portions is provided at specified portions of the roof gusset which overlap the opening portion in a vehicle width direction and overlap the center-pillar joint portions in the vehicle longitudinal direction, respectively. A second high-rigidity portion is provided at an inward end portion of the roof gusset to extend in the vehicle longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshikazu NISHIMURA, Kei IKEDA, Kazuya FUKUTANI, Naoki KANEKO, Noboru YOSHII
  • Publication number: 20140028056
    Abstract: A center pillar includes a first reinforcement panel which is arranged between an outer panel and an inner panel, comprises a bottom wall portion, both-side vertical wall portions extending in a vehicle width direction from the bottom wall portion, and both-side flange portions, and has a cross section formed in substantially a hat shape. A second reinforcement panel comprising a bottom wall portion and both-side vertical wall portions and having a cross section formed in substantially a U shape is arranged inside the first reinforcement panel. The second reinforcement panel is joined to the first reinforcement panel such that only the bottom wall portion and one of the both-side vertical wall portions are joined to the bottom wall portion and one of the both-side vertical wall portions, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Inventors: Yoshikazu NISHIMURA, Kei IKEDA, Kazuya FUKUTANI, Naoki KANEKO, Noboru YOSHII
  • Publication number: 20120119476
    Abstract: A cell of a curtain airbag is configured such that its upper portion is closed in an inflated state of the curtain airbag, whereas its lower portion is open and connected to a gas flowing passage from an inflator. Accordingly, a passenger protection device of a vehicle which can properly prevent an interior material from being broken and scattered can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hideharu SAIKI, Kazuya FUKUTANI, Hideharu KAERIYAMA
  • Patent number: 8152197
    Abstract: A side airbag unit disposed in a side support of a seat capable of absorbing collision energy sufficiently during a side collision of a vehicle is described. In one example, the airbag unit comprises: a low expansion member disposed inside of a front skin of the seat, wherein one end of the low expansion member is attached to the inside of the front skin in the vicinity of a fragile part of the seat and the other end of the low expansion member is attached to the seatback frame through a slit. The low expansion member inhibits the front skin from expanding due to the inflation of the airbag, and a cushion pad located outside of the slit in the vehicle width direction and inside of the fragile part in the vehicle width direction is moved outward and frontward by the inflation of the airbag in a vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Seigo Taguchi, Kazuya Fukutani, Hideharu Saiki, Nobuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 7891704
    Abstract: A side airbag device provided at a seat back of a seat, comprises an airbag including a chest-abdomen protection portion to protect a chest and abdomen of an occupant seated and a waist protection portion to protect a waist of the occupant, and an inflator to supply gas to the airbag for an inflation at a vehicle side crash or a vehicle turnover, wherein the portions are partitioned by a partition portion that at least extends substantially rearward from an front edge of the airbag, and a recess is provided at an upper portion of the chest-abdomen protection portion. Accordingly, a whole part of side body including the chest, abdomen and waist can be properly protected regardless of the body size of the occupant, even for the occupant having the relatively small body size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Seigo Taguchi, Naoki Kaneko, Masaki Motoki, Kazuya Fukutani
  • Publication number: 20100156071
    Abstract: A side airbag unit disposed in a side support of a seat capable of absorbing collision energy sufficiently during a side collision of a vehicle is described. In one example, the airbag unit comprises: a low expansion member disposed inside of a front skin of the seat, wherein one end of the low expansion member is attached to the inside of the front skin in the vicinity of a fragile part of the seat and the other end of the low expansion member is attached to the seatback frame through a slit. The low expansion member inhibits the front skin from expanding due to the inflation of the airbag, and a cushion pad located outside of the slit in the vehicle width direction and inside of the fragile part in the vehicle width direction is moved outward and frontward by the inflation of the airbag in a vehicle collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2009
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seigo Taguchi, Kazuya Fukutani, Hideharu Saiki, Nobuo Inoue
  • Patent number: 7520557
    Abstract: A pin having an enlarged head is fixed to a lower end portion of a sliding rear side door. The pin is disposed at a point corresponding to a door slide opening formed in a side sill, and the enlarged head of the pin is goes into a box member incorporated in the side sill through the door slide opening when the sliding rear side door is closed. A lower rail having a downward-opening U-shaped cross section is welded to a top plate portion of the box member. A lower roller unit fixed to the sliding rear side door fits into the lower rail, whereby the lower rail guides the sliding rear side door during opening and closing operation thereof. A vertical wall portion of the box member is welded to a first reinforcement member which passes generally vertically through the side sill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Motoki Yoshida, Takashi Niseki, Kazuya Fukutani, Katsuhito Kouno
  • Publication number: 20070290488
    Abstract: A side airbag device provided at a seat back of a seat, comprises an airbag including a chest-abdomen protection portion to protect a chest and abdomen of an occupant seated and a waist protection portion to protect a waist of the occupant, and an inflator to supply gas to the airbag for an inflation at a vehicle side crash or a vehicle turnover, wherein the portions are partitioned by a partition portion that at least extends substantially rearward from an front edge of the airbag, and a recess is provided at an upper portion of the chest-abdomen protection portion. Accordingly, a whole part of side body including the chest, abdomen and waist can be properly protected regardless of the body size of the occupant, even for the occupant having the relatively small body size.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Inventors: Seigo Taguchi, Naoki Kaneko, Masaki Motoki, Kazuya Fukutani
  • Publication number: 20060082108
    Abstract: Disclosed is an arrangement structure for a curtain airbag, which comprises a bracket plate 20 for attaching a curtain airbag to a vehicle body inner panel 1b, and a pillar trim 30 formed with a trim engagement-plate potion 31 in the vicinity of an upper end thereof. The trim engagement-plate potion 31 has a trim engagement surface 32 oriented toward a vehicle interior space in an orthogonal direction relative thereto.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2005
    Publication date: April 20, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sachio Wahara, Mitsutoshi Yamanishi, Motoharu Hirata, Tomohisa Ohmori, Tomohisa Ohmori, Kazuhisa Kodama, Shouichirou Hidaka, Yuichi Sugimura, Tsutomu Watanabe, Kazuya Fukutani, Nobuo Miyamura, Yoshio Oda, Ryoji Funahashi
  • Publication number: 20060000145
    Abstract: A pin having an enlarged head is fixed to a lower end portion of a sliding rear side door. The pin is disposed at a point corresponding to a door slide opening formed in a side sill, and the enlarged head of the pin is goes into a box member incorporated in the side sill through the door slide opening when the sliding rear side door is closed. A lower rail having a downward-opening U-shaped cross section is welded to a top plate portion of the box member. A lower roller unit fixed to the sliding rear side door fits into the lower rail, whereby the lower rail guides the sliding rear side door during opening and closing operation thereof. A vertical wall portion of the box member is welded to a first reinforcement member which passes generally vertically through the side sill.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Motoki Yoshida, Takashi Niseki, Kazuya Fukutani, Katsuhito Kouno