Patents by Inventor Ken KOMATSUBARA
Ken KOMATSUBARA 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).
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Patent number: 11433761Abstract: A grille shutter device opens and closes an introduction passage through which air is introduced from an opening provided at a front part of a vehicle to the inside of the vehicle. The grille shutter device includes: a driving fin and a driven fin that are configured to rotate between an open position in which the introduction passage is open and a closed position in which the introduction passage is closed; an actuator configured to drive the driving fin; a power transmission member configured to transmit power from the driving fin to the driven fin; and a first stopper configured to define a first position by coming into contact with the power transmission member.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2021Date of Patent: September 6, 2022Assignees: AISIN CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken Komatsubara, Kazuki Tsuboi, Shigeki Sato, Toshikazu Harada, Shuichi Morie
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Patent number: 11370294Abstract: A grille shutter includes a frame, a fin supported by the frame, and brackets that are arranged respectively on opposite sides of the frame in the vehicle right-left direction and used for attaching the frame to a vehicle body. Each of the brackets is partially provided with a fragile portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2019Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tamotsu Tsuchida, Shun Totsuka, Ken Komatsubara, Kazuki Tsuboi
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Patent number: 11225136Abstract: A grille shutter includes a frame, a movable louver and a bracket provided at each of end portions of the frame. The frame includes an upper frame portion, a lower frame portion, a right frame portion and a left frame portion, wherein at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion includes a curved configuration in which a vehicle-rear-side edge of a portion of the one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion is convex towards a vehicle-front side, and the portion is positioned between the right frame portion and the left frame portion.Type: GrantFiled: June 22, 2020Date of Patent: January 18, 2022Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shun Totsuka, Ken Komatsubara, Kazuki Tsuboi
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Patent number: 11198406Abstract: A fragile portion is provided at a portion of a vertical frame bar. When an impact load from under a vehicle is applied to a grille shutter, the impact can be at least partially absorbed as the fragile portion undergoes plastic deformation (including damage). Thus, the impact exerted on a portion of the vertical frame bar other than the fragile portion is mitigated, and a fin can be restrained from coming off a frame. Moreover, the fin can be restrained from coming off the frame by a compact structure, because simply providing the fragile portion at a portion of the vertical frame bar can achieve that.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shun Totsuka, Kazuki Tsuboi, Ken Komatsubara
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Publication number: 20210237556Abstract: A grille shutter device opens and closes an introduction passage through which air is introduced from an opening provided at a front part of a vehicle to the inside of the vehicle. The grille shutter device includes: a driving fin and a driven fin that are configured to rotate between an open position in which the introduction passage is open and a closed position in which the introduction passage is closed; an actuator configured to drive the driving fin; a power transmission member configured to transmit power from the driving fin to the driven fin; and a first stopper configured to define a first position by coming into contact with the power transmission member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2021Publication date: August 5, 2021Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken KOMATSUBARA, Kazuki TSUBOI, Shigeki SATO, Toshikazu HARADA, Shuichi MORIE
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Publication number: 20200406741Abstract: A grille shutter includes a frame, a movable louver and a bracket provided at each of end portions of the frame. The frame includes an upper frame portion, a lower frame portion, a right frame portion and a left frame portion, wherein at least one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion includes a curved configuration in which a vehicle-rear-side edge of a portion of the one of the upper frame portion and the lower frame portion is convex towards a vehicle-front side, and the portion is positioned between the right frame portion and the left frame portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 22, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shun Totsuka, Ken Komatsubara, Kazuki Tsuboi
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Publication number: 20200156462Abstract: A grille shutter includes a frame, a fin supported by the frame, and brackets that are arranged respectively on opposite sides of the frame in the vehicle right-left direction and used for attaching the frame to a vehicle body. Each of the brackets is partially provided with a fragile portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2019Publication date: May 21, 2020Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tamotsu Tsuchida, Shun Totsuka, Ken Komatsubara, Kazuki Tsuboi
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Publication number: 20200148147Abstract: A fragile portion is provided at a portion of a vertical frame bar. When an impact load from under a vehicle is applied to a grille shutter, the impact can be at least partially absorbed as the fragile portion undergoes plastic deformation (including damage). Thus, the impact exerted on a portion of the vertical frame bar other than the fragile portion is mitigated, and a fin can be restrained from coming off a frame. Moreover, the fin can be restrained from coming off the frame by a compact structure, because simply providing the fragile portion at a portion of the vertical frame bar can achieve that.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2019Publication date: May 14, 2020Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shun Totsuka, Kazuki Tsuboi, Ken Komatsubara
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Patent number: 10618402Abstract: A grille shutter device including: a plurality of fins; a linkage member configured to link the fins such that the fins move together; a driving device configured to move one of the fins; an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an abnormality of the fin according to an operating state of the driving device; and a locking structure including a first locking portion being a part of each of the fins and a second locking portion being a part of the linkage member, wherein: in a motive power transmission cut-off state, a movement of the linkage member is restricted by an abutment of the second locking portion against a first locking portion of an abnormal fin.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2018Date of Patent: April 14, 2020Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken Komatsubara, Hideo Nishioka
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Publication number: 20190084409Abstract: A grille shutter device including: a plurality of fins; a linkage member configured to link the fins such that the fins move together; a driving device configured to move one of the fins; an abnormality detection unit configured to detect an abnormality of the fin according to an operating state of the driving device; and a locking structure including a first locking portion being a part of each of the fins and a second locking portion being a part of the linkage member, wherein: in a motive power transmission cut-off state, a movement of the linkage member is restricted by an abutment of the second locking portion against a first locking portion of an abnormal fin.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken KOMATSUBARA, Hideo Nishioka