Patents by Inventor Kenji Maeta

Kenji Maeta 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: 8960343
    Abstract: Provided is a grill shutter device including a shutter mechanism controlling a flow rate of air flowing into a vehicle body from the grill opening portion of the vehicle body front portion by an opening and closing operation; a frame configured to support the shutter mechanism within the grill opening portion; an actuator that is held in the frame and performs the opening and closing driving of the shutter mechanism; and a holding structure capable of relatively moving the actuator to the front side of the frame, based on the collision load at the time of the vehicle collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshimasa Asano, Kenji Maeta, Kenji Hori, Takashi Saito, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130248266
    Abstract: Provided is a grill shutter device including a shutter mechanism controlling a flow rate of air flowing into a vehicle body from the grill opening portion of the vehicle body front portion by an opening and closing operation; a frame configured to support the shutter mechanism within the grill opening portion; an actuator that is held in the frame and performs the opening and dosing driving of the shutter mechanism; and a holding structure capable of relatively moving the actuator to the front side of the frame, based on the collision load at the time of the vehicle collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimasa ASANO, Kenji Maeta, Kenji Hori, Takashi Saito, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20130252531
    Abstract: Provided is a grill shutter device that has movable fins rotating around a rotation shaft, and is able to control a flow rate of air flowing into a vehicle body from a grill opening portion, based on opening and closing operation of a shutter mechanism provided in the grill opening portion of a front portion of the vehicle body, in which fin lengths of two directions with a rotation center of the movable fin interposed therebetween are set to unequal lengths so that moment of an opening direction is generated in the movable fin based on the pressure of the air flowing-in from the grill opening portion, and when the movable fin rotates in a closing direction, a wall surface forming a flow path of the air between the wall surface and a leading end is located in a direction that the leading end of the movable fin moves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimasa ASANO, Kenji Maeta, Kenji Hori, Takashi Saito, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8215189
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle, includes a seat-side fixing member, a slide rail, a load detecting device disposed between the seat-side fixing member and the slide rail and arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a rear side of the vehicle, and a bracket arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a front side of the vehicle, the bracket supporting the seat-side fixing member. The bracket includes a lower attachment portion attached to the slide rail, a supporting portion extending from the lower attachment portion toward an upper side of the vehicle, and an upper attachment portion connected to the supporting portion so as to extend from the supporting portion toward the rear side of the vehicle, thereby being cantilever-supported by the supporting portion, and attached to the seat-side fixing member at a free-end side of the upper attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshimasa Asano, Naoka Kawajiri, Takeshi Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8128135
    Abstract: A lock device for a vehicle includes a base plate provided with an entrance/retracting groove for receiving or retracting a striker and a latch pivotally supported on the base plate by a latch axis. The latch includes a lock groove engaging with or disengaging from the striker entering the entrance/retracting groove and rotatable between a lock release position allowing the striker entering into the entrance/retracting groove and a lock position for holding the striker in the entrance/retracting groove by the movement of the striker. A first biasing member is provided for biasing the latch in the rotational direction to the release position to bias the pawl in a rotational direction towards the release preventing position and a second biasing member is provided for biasing the rotation plate in a rotational direction towards the release position of the latch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Kouji Kondoh, Takuya Mizuno
  • Publication number: 20100127552
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle, includes a seat-side fixing member, a slide rail, a load detecting device disposed between the seat-side fixing member and the slide rail and arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a rear side of the vehicle, and a bracket arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a front side of the vehicle, the bracket supporting the seat-side fixing member. The bracket includes a lower attachment portion attached to the slide rail, a supporting portion extending from the lower attachment portion toward an upper side of the vehicle, and an upper attachment portion connected to the supporting portion so as to extend from the supporting portion toward the rear side of the vehicle, thereby being cantilever-supported by the supporting portion, and attached to the seat-side fixing member at a free-end side of the upper attachment portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji MAETA, Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshimasa Asano, Naoka Kawajiri, Takeshi Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20090145183
    Abstract: A lock device for a vehicle includes a base plate provided with an entrance/retracting groove for receiving or retracting a striker and a latch pivotally supported on the base plate by a latch axis. The latch includes a lock groove engaging with or disengaging from the striker entering the entrance/retracting groove and rotatable between a lock release position allowing the striker entering into the entrance/retracting groove and a lock position for holding the striker in the entrance/retracting groove by the movement of the striker. A first biasing member is provided for biasing the latch in the rotational direction to the release position to bias the pawl in a rotational direction towards the release preventing position and a second biasing member is provided for biasing the rotation plate in a rotational direction towards the release position of the latch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji MAETA, Kouji Kondoh, Takuya Mizuno
  • Patent number: 7015669
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle includes a drive unit including a rotational drive apparatus, a reduction gear mechanism linked with a rotational shaft of the rotational drive apparatus, and an output member linked with the rotational shaft through the reduction gear mechanism and linked with the opening/closing body through a connection member, a first pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a first pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of the rotational shaft, a second pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a second pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of either one of the reduction gear mechanism and the output member, and a control means for calculating an opening/closing position of the opening/closing body on the basis of the first pulse signal emitted by the first pulse signal generator utilizing the second pulse signal emitted by the second pulse signal generator as a base point and controlling the rotational drive app
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Kenji Maeta, Naoto Kamioku, Kouji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20050280387
    Abstract: A drive apparatus for an opening/closing body for a vehicle includes a drive unit including a rotational drive apparatus, a reduction gear mechanism linked with a rotational shaft of the rotational drive apparatus, and an output member linked with the rotational shaft through the reduction gear mechanism and linked with the opening/closing body through a connection member, a first pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a first pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of the rotational shaft, a second pulse signal generator provided at the drive unit and generating a second pulse signal on the basis of a rotation of either one of the reduction gear mechanism and the output member, and a control means for calculating an opening/closing position of the opening/closing body on the basis of the first pulse signal emitted by the first pulse signal generator utilizing the second pulse signal emitted by the second pulse signal generator as a base point and controlling the rotational drive app
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Publication date: December 22, 2005
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Kenji Maeta, Naoto Kamioku, Kouji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6964450
    Abstract: A sliding roof device for vehicles includes a movable panel to open or close an opening portion provided at a vehicle roof, a pair of guide rails provided at both sides in width direction of the opening portion and extending in longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an operation mechanism guided by the guide rail and supporting the movable panel, a drive device driving the operation mechanism, and a spur tooth rack belt connecting the operation mechanism with the drive device wherein the drive device includes a drive gearwheel engaging with the spur gear rack belt, and the drive gearwheel is formed with variable tooth thickness along the gear width.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Katsutoshi Kato, Kenji Maeta
  • Publication number: 20050127720
    Abstract: A sliding roof device for vehicles includes a movable panel to open or close an opening portion provided at a vehicle roof, a pair of guide rails provided at both sides in width direction of the opening portion and extending in longitudinal direction of the vehicle, an operation mechanism guided by the guide rail and supporting the movable panel, a drive device driving the operation mechanism, and a spur tooth rack belt connecting the operation mechanism with the drive device wherein the drive device includes a drive gearwheel engaging with the spur gear rack belt, and the drive gearwheel is formed with variable tooth thickness along the gear width.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Publication date: June 16, 2005
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Katsutoshi Kato, Kenji Maeta
  • Patent number: 6877800
    Abstract: A sunroof device includes a movable panel provided at a roof of a vehicle for opening and closing an opening of the roof, and a deflector provided at a front end of the opening. The deflector is movable upward above the roof and foldable below the roof depending on a position of the movable panel. The deflector has an engaging portion, and a stopping member has an engaged portion engageable with the engaging portion and movable by a first predetermined distance relative to the engaging portion until the engaging portion engages with one end of the engaged portion. The stopping member is further movable together with the deflector by a second predetermined distance relative to the roof after the engaging portion engages with the one end of the engaged portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Katsutoshi Kato
  • Publication number: 20030222481
    Abstract: A sunroof device includes a movable panel provided at a roof of a vehicle for opening and closing an opening of the roof, and a deflector provided at a front end of the opening. The deflector is movable upward above the roof and foldable below the roof depending on a position of the movable panel. The deflector has an engaging portion, and a stopping member has an engaged portion engageable with the engaging portion and movable by a first predetermined distance relative to the engaging portion until the engaging portion engages with one end of the engaged portion. The stopping member is further movable together with the deflector by a second predetermined distance relative to the roof after the engaging portion engages with the one end of the engaged portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2003
    Publication date: December 4, 2003
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Katsutoshi Kato
  • Patent number: 6644728
    Abstract: A sunroof device is made up of a pair of guide rails placed at laterally opposed inner peripheries of an open area of a vehicle. The pair of guide rails support a movable panel covering and uncovering the open area. A first gutter portion extends along a lengthwise direction of the guide rail. A second gutter portion is positioned below the first gutter portion and is brought into fluid communication with an end of the first gutter portion, characterized in that the second gutter portion is formed with an upstanding wall located at a distance from the end of the first gutter portion when the second gutter portion is brought into an overlap condition in such a manner that the upstanding wall defines an area of the second gutter portion to be overlapped with the first gutter portion. An easy connection can be made between the first gutter portion and the second gutter portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Hiroshi Makino, Kenji Maeta, Hironori Ochiai
  • Patent number: 6588834
    Abstract: A sliding roof device includes a housing disposed along at least front edge of an opening formed on a roof of a vehicle, a casing disposed along the housing, a driving force transmitting member slidably mounted and guided in the housing and driven by a driving mechanism and a sliding panel connected to the driving force transmitting member and being movable so as to open and close the opening by the sliding movement of the driving force transmitting member, wherein the casing is formed by a flexible raw material and a plural engaging portions which are displaced at least one of upper and lower and front and rear are formed on the housing, and wherein the casing is securely engaged with the engaging portions so as to be arranged zigzag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2003
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Masaji Ishikawa, Akira Matsuura, Reiki Kawamura, Yasuo Oyama
  • Patent number: 6431644
    Abstract: A sliding roof device is made up of a pair of laterally spaced guide rails provided at inner peripheries of an open area formed in a vehicular roof panel, the guide rails supporting a movable panel in movable fashion in order to open and close the open area; a front frame connecting a front end of one of the guide rails and a front end of the other, the front frame and the pair of the guide rails constituting a sunroof frame; and a driving mechanism including a motor, a gear mechanism driven by the motor, an output gear associated with the gear mechanism, a geared cable engaged with the output gear in meshing fashion and connected to the movable panel for the movement thereof when the motor is turned on, and a casing pipe through which the geared cable is passed in movable fashion, characterized in that a housing and a box are provided, the housing placing the output gear outside the sunroof frame, the housing accommodating therein the gear mechanism, the box being formed integrally with the sunroof frame, th
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2002
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Kenji Maeta, Hiroshi Makino, Takashi Kitani
  • Publication number: 20020060478
    Abstract: A sliding roof device includes a housing disposed along at least front edge of an opening formed on a roof of a vehicle, a casing disposed along the housing, a driving force transmitting member slidably mounted and guided in the housing and driven by a driving mechanism and a sliding panel connected to the driving force transmitting member and being movable so as to open and close the opening by the sliding movement of the driving force transmitting member, wherein the casing Is formed by a flexible raw material and a plural engaging portions which are displaced at least one of upper and lower and front and rear are formed on the housing, and wherein the casing is securely engaged with the engaging portions so as to be arranged zigzag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2001
    Publication date: May 23, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Masaji Ishikawa, Akira Matsuura, Reiki Kawamura, Yasuo Oyama
  • Patent number: 6390545
    Abstract: A vehicle sun-roof device includes a movable panel for fully covering and uncovering an opening in the vehicle roof, a guide rail provided along a side of the opening in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and a link mechanism associated with the movable panel for tilting the movable panel. The link mechanism includes a bracket supporting the movable panel, a link member for restricting the rotational position of the bracket, a drive shoe slidably disposed in the guide rail and associated with the bracket via the link member, and a driven shoe slidably disposed in the guide rail and rotatably supporting one end of the bracket. A checking mechanism restricts the movement of the driven shoe in the vehicle longitudinal direction and includes a restriction portion formed at the bracket and a guide block fixed to the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Makino, Takashi Kitani, Youji Nagashima, Kenji Maeta
  • Patent number: 6196625
    Abstract: The invention improves a connection portion between a guide rail and a front rail in a sliding roof apparatus and make a mounting operation easy. In the sliding roof apparatus, a gutter is supported to a protruding portion of the guide rail, a side end portion of the front rail is overlapped with a front portion of the gutter from the above, an opening thereof is opposed to a bottom wall of the gutter, and a bracket of the side end portion is fixed to the protruding portion of the guide rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2001
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Youji Nagashima, Kenji Maeta, Kenichi Fukura, Akira Matsuura, Takashi Yoshie, Yasuo Oyama, Masaji Ishikawa