Patents by Inventor Keizo Fukuda

Keizo Fukuda 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: 7621198
    Abstract: A shift lever device for operation of a transmission of a vehicle having a plurality of shift ranges is provided which includes a lever main body, a housing that movably supports the lever main body, a light source provided at one of the housing and the lever main body; a knob mounted to a distal end portion of the lever main body, and having a transmitting portion, a light guiding portion provided at the knob and guiding light from the light source to the interior of the knob, and a light guiding control portion. The light guiding control portion includes a shutter member operatively connected to and movable with the lever main body which, when the lever main body is positioned at least at one specific shift position, does not block light from the light source to the knob transmitting portion, and which, when the lever main body is positioned at a position other than the specific shift position, is moved to a position blocking the light to the knob transmitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenichi Kako, Noriyasu Shamoto, Isamu Matsushima, Keizo Fukuda, Teruaki Kitano
  • Publication number: 20050039562
    Abstract: A shift lever device in which a shift pattern, shift positions, and the like provided at a knob can be clearly seen without the knob being made to be large. Light is guided to an indicator lens by a light guide, without providing a lamp, which is a light source, at an interior of the knob. Thus, a structure of the knob can be simplified and the knob can be made to be compact. Further, because the light guide is a portion of the structure of the knob, the structure of the knob can be simplified from this standpoint as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Kenichi Kako, Noriyasu Shamoto, Isamu Matsushima, Keizo Fukuda, Teruaki Kitano
  • Patent number: 6761084
    Abstract: A gate-type shift lever device in which a pin is formed at a mounting piece formed at a back wall portion of a base, which pin axially supports a plate switch. Two levers are formed at the plate switch. A shift lever abuts and presses one of the levers during a shift operation from a “D” position to a “4” position. The shift lever abuts and presses another of the levers, during a shift operation from a “2” position to an “L” position. In accordance with rotation of the plate switch due to the pressing forces received by the levers, a holder contact moves transversely. Thus, the shift operations from the “D” position to the “4” position and from the “2” position to the “L” position can be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Yutaka Suzuki, Keizo Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20010027891
    Abstract: A gate-type shift lever device in which a pin is formed at a mounting piece formed at a back wall portion of a base, which pin axially supports a plate switch. Two levers are formed at the plate switch. A shift lever abuts and presses one of the levers during a shift operation from a “D” position to a “4” position. The shift lever abuts and presses another of the levers, during a shift operation from a “2” position to an “L” position. In accordance with rotation of the plate switch due to the pressing forces received by the levers, a holder contact moves transversely. Thus, the shift operations from the “D” position to the “4” position and from the “2” position to the “L” position can be detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2001
    Publication date: October 11, 2001
    Inventors: Yutaka Suzuki, Keizo Fukuda