Patents by Inventor Kohei Hirotani

Kohei Hirotani 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: 11603683
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing device for a vehicle includes a restriction member that is operable between a restriction position at which the restriction is applied and a restriction release position at which the restriction is released, an electric motor that drives the restriction member between the restriction position and the restriction release position in response to a door switching between a locked state and an unlocked state, a case that houses the restriction member and the electric motor, and an emergency operation member that can move the restriction member to the restriction release position when the electric motor malfunctions, wherein an operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism is provided between the emergency operation member and the restriction member, the operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism converting the operating force from the emergency operation member into a force that causes operation from the restriction position toward the restriction release position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Kohei Hirotani, Takashi Yamamoto, Naruhiko Maeda
  • Patent number: 11279224
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing device for a vehicle which includes a restriction member that can operate between a restriction position at which movement of a rod at the lid closed position is restricted and a restriction release position at which the restriction is released, an electric motor that operates for a predetermined time in response to a door switching between a locked state and an unlocked state for driving the restriction member, and a case that houses the restriction member and the electric motor, wherein at least the restriction release position of the restriction member is resiliently held by a holding mechanism. Thus, even when the restriction member stops at position halfway between the restriction release position and the restriction position, convenience is enhanced by carrying out an operation of locking the door by moving the rod to the lid closed position without requiring an unlocking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: Kabushiki kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Kohei Hirotani, Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Takashi Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20200408011
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing device for a vehicle includes a restriction member that is operable between a restriction position at which the restriction is applied and a restriction release position at which the restriction is released, an electric motor that drives the restriction member between the restriction position and the restriction release position in response to a door switching between a locked state and an unlocked state, a case that houses the restriction member and the electric motor, and an emergency operation member that can move the restriction member to the restriction release position when the electric motor malfunctions, wherein an operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism is provided between the emergency operation member and the restriction member, the operating force-acting direction conversion mechanism converting the operating force from the emergency operation member into a force that causes operation from the restriction position toward the restriction release position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei HIROTANI, Takashi YAMAMOTO, Naruhiko MAEDA
  • Publication number: 20200398663
    Abstract: A lid opening and closing device for a vehicle which includes a restriction member that can operate between a restriction position at which movement of a rod at the lid closed position is restricted and a restriction release position at which the restriction is released, an electric motor that operates for a predetermined time in response to a door switching between a locked state and an unlocked state for driving the restriction member, and a case that houses the restriction member and the electric motor, wherein at least the restriction release position of the restriction member is resiliently held by a holding mechanism. Thus, even when the restriction member stops at position halfway between the restriction release position and the restriction position, convenience is enhanced by carrying out an operation of locking the door by moving the rod to the lid closed position without requiring an unlocking operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2019
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Inventors: Kohei HIROTANI, Hiroyuki KOUZUMA, Takashi YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 10480640
    Abstract: This power transmission device includes a motor, a worm connected to a rotating shaft of the motor, and a worm wheel engaged with the worm and disposed at an operation pedal side with respect to the worm, wherein a biasing member which biases the motor in a direction in which the worm and the worm wheel come in contact with each other when the motor is driven is disposed between the motor and a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2019
    Assignee: Honda Lock Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Kohei Hirotani
  • Patent number: 10124673
    Abstract: A reaction force output device that outputs a reaction force to an operation unit includes: a motor as a drive source configured to create the reaction force; a reaction force transmission unit configured to transmit the reaction force to the operation unit; and a clutch mechanism disposed between the motor and the reaction force transmission unit and configured to set the motor and the reaction force transmission unit to a disengaged state or an engaged state depending on a driving state of the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Lock Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Kohei Hirotani
  • Patent number: 9970219
    Abstract: A latch release device for a vehicle door is provided which enables the release of the latched state of a latch mechanism that accompanies actuation of an electric actuator in response to the normal operation of an operating member for latch release, and the release of the latched state by a mechanical latch release operating force in response to emergency operation of the operating member for latch release, and includes a child lock mechanism attached to the latch mechanism, wherein the child lock mechanism is arranged so as to switch between linking and unlinking the actuating member for latch release and a mechanical operating force input member to which a mechanical latch release operating force is transmitted from the operating member for latch release, and latch release intention detection means is disposed on the latch mechanism so as to detect actuation of the actuating member for latch release.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Masayuki Taniyama, Kohei Hirotani
  • Patent number: 9927830
    Abstract: A reaction force output device includes: a motor that is a drive source that creates a reaction force; a reaction force output shaft that interlocks with an output shaft of the motor to rotate; and an interlocking arm that transmits output torque of the motor which is input to the reaction force output shaft to an operation pedal. A torque limiting mechanism, which limits the transmission of torque that is equal to or greater than a specified value between the reaction force output shaft and the interlocking arm, is interposed between the reaction force output shaft and the interlocking arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignees: Honda Lock Mfg. Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Kohei Hirotani, Hideto Nebuya, Ayumu Yamaguchi, Go Suzaki, Kohei Maruyama
  • Publication number: 20180010683
    Abstract: This power transmission device includes a motor, a worm connected to a rotating shaft of the motor, and a worm wheel engaged with the worm and disposed at an operation pedal side with respect to the worm, wherein a biasing member which biases the motor in a direction in which the worm and the worm wheel come in contact with each other when the motor is driven is disposed between the motor and a housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOUZUMA, Kohei HIROTANI
  • Publication number: 20180001763
    Abstract: The reaction force output device includes a drive source configured to output power to an operation portion in a direction opposite to an operating direction thereof; and a clutch mechanism interposed between the operation portion and the drive source and configured to connect and disconnect transmission of the power to the operation portion, wherein the clutch mechanism includes a first rotating body connected to the drive source side and to which the power of the drive source is transmitted, a second rotating body connected to the operation portion side, disposed coaxially with the first rotating body and configured to be relatively rotatable with respect to the first rotating body, a clutch lever rotatably supported by the first rotating body, and a plurality of engagement portions disposed at the second rotating body in a circumferential direction thereof and engaged with the clutch lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: January 4, 2018
    Applicant: HONDA LOCK MFG. CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOUZUMA, Kohei HIROTANI, Takashi OOBA
  • Publication number: 20160250924
    Abstract: A reaction force output device that outputs a reaction force to an operation unit includes: a motor as a drive source configured to create the reaction force; a reaction force transmission unit configured to transmit the reaction force to the operation unit; and a clutch mechanism disposed between the motor and the reaction force transmission unit and configured to set the motor and the reaction force transmission unit to a disengaged state or an engaged state depending on a driving state of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2014
    Publication date: September 1, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOUZUMA, Kohei HIROTANI
  • Publication number: 20160239041
    Abstract: A reaction force output device includes: a motor that is a drive source that creates a reaction force; a reaction force output shaft that interlocks with an output shaft of the motor to rotate; and an interlocking arm that transmits output torque of the motor which is input to the reaction force output shaft to an operation pedal. A torque limiting mechanism, which limits the transmission of torque that is equal to or greater than a specified value between the reaction force output shaft and the interlocking arm, is interposed between the reaction force output shaft and the interlocking arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: August 18, 2016
    Inventors: Hiroyuki KOUZUMA, Kohei HIROTANI, Hideto NEBUYA, Ayumu YAMAGUCHI, Go SUZAKI, Kohei MARUYAMA
  • Publication number: 20150197964
    Abstract: A latch release device for a vehicle door is provided which enables the release of the latched state of a latch mechanism that accompanies actuation of an electric actuator in response to the normal operation of an operating member for latch release, and the release of the latched state by a mechanical latch release operating force in response to emergency operation of the operating member for latch release, and includes a child lock mechanism attached to the latch mechanism, wherein the child lock mechanism is arranged so as to switch between linking and unlinking the actuating member for latch release and a mechanical operating force input member to which a mechanical latch release operating force is transmitted from the operating member for latch release, and latch release intention detection means is disposed on the latch mechanism so as to detect actuation of the actuating member for latch release.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2013
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kouzuma, Masayuki Taniyama, Kohei Hirotani