Patents by Inventor Koji Okumura

Koji Okumura 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: 11802332
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover includes arranging a mask in a region of an undercoating layer formed on a rear surface of a base, the region being different from a heater formation region in which a heater is to be formed and different from a belt-shaped separation region extending along an edge of the heater formation region, forming a heat-generating film on the mask and the undercoating layer, the heat-generating film being made of the conductive heat-generating material, peeling, using a laser, the heat-generating film formed in the separation region, and removing the mask and the heat-generating film formed on the mask. The separation region has a width that is set to be smaller than a beam diameter of each of near-infrared rays transmitted from the transmitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Risa Hirano, Koji Okumura, Koji Fukagawa, Katsuyuki Hirano
  • Publication number: 20230314558
    Abstract: A vehicle exterior component includes a cover, a housing, and a substrate. The cover is configured to arranged forward of a radar device in an emission direction of electromagnetic waves. The housing covers a rear surface of the cover. The substrate is arranged in the housing. The substrate includes a light emitting unit configured to emit visible light. The cover forms an angle in a range of 0° to 5° with respect to an orthogonal plane that is orthogonal to the emission direction. The rear wall of the housing faces the cover in the emission direction and forms an angle in a range of 2° to 10° with respect to the orthogonal plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2023
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Shunsuke AOYAMA, Koji OKUMURA, Takeshi SUGIYAMA
  • Publication number: 20230161010
    Abstract: An angle formed by a near-infrared ray refracted when passing through an emission surface and a normal line is ?, an angle formed by an incident surface and the emission surface is x, and an angle formed by a boundary surface between front and rear base members and the emission surface is y. An angle formed by the near-infrared ray refracted when passing through the incident surface and a normal line is ?, an angle formed by the near-infrared ray incident on the boundary surface and a normal line is ?, and an angle formed by the near-infrared ray refracted when passing through the boundary surface and the normal line is ?. The incident surface is inclined with respect to the emission surface by the angle x defined by Equation: x+y????=0or x+y??+?=0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Publication date: May 25, 2023
    Inventors: Koji FUKAGAWA, Koji OKUMURA
  • Patent number: 11648889
    Abstract: A vehicle decorative part includes a decorative main body and a heater. The decorative main body is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element is located in an irradiation region of the millimeter waves in the heater. As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater, the heating element is incorporated in the heater in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element that occupies the irradiation region to an area of the irradiation region is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2023
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Hideto Maeda
  • Patent number: 11634089
    Abstract: An emblem (30) (vehicle decorative part) includes a decorative main body (31) and a heater (55). The decorative main body (31) is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar to decorate the vehicle and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater (55) has a heating element (57) that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element (57) is located in a irradiation region (Z1) of the millimeter waves in the heater (55). As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater (55), the heating element (57) is incorporated in the heater (55) in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element (57) that occupies the irradiation region (Z1) to an area of the irradiation region (Z1) is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2023
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Hideto Maeda
  • Patent number: 11624658
    Abstract: A near-infrared sensor cover includes a cover body having transmissiveness to near-infrared rays. The cover body includes a base and a heater unit. The heater unit is arranged rearward of the base in a transmission direction of the near-infrared rays and includes a wire-like heating element. The heating element is configured to generate heat when energized. The base includes a rear portion that includes a rear surface of the base in the transmission direction. In the rear portion of the base, at least part of a section that is different from a section in which the heater unit is provided is formed by a reflection suppression structure including asperities. The asperities include a reflection suppression surface that is inclined relative to the transmission direction and reduces reflection of the near-infrared rays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2023
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., IMUZAK CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Koji Fukagawa, Kazumi Sawamura
  • Publication number: 20220308206
    Abstract: A vehicle exterior part is configured to be arranged frontward of a millimeter wave radar device with respect to the transmission direction of millimeter waves. The vehicle exterior part includes an ornamental body, a light source that emits light, and a light diffuse reflection member. The light diffuse reflection member is millimeter wave-transmissive and diffuses and reflects light. The ornamental body includes a base and an ornamental layer. The base is millimeter wave-transmissive and diffuses and transmits the light. The ornamental layer is millimeter wave-transmissive and arranged frontward of the base with respect to the transmission direction. The light source, the ornamental body, and the light diffuse reflection member are arranged so that the light emitted from the light source is diffused and reflected by the light diffuse reflection member and directed toward the base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Publication date: September 29, 2022
    Inventors: Risa HIRANO, Hiroko SHIBAKAWA, Norifumi HATTORI, Koji OKUMURA, Hideto MAEDA, Yutaka OTSUKA, Keisuke NISHIOKA, Kazuyoshi FUJIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220298621
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover includes arranging a mask in a region of an undercoating layer formed on a rear surface of a base, the region being different from a heater formation region in which a heater is to be formed and different from a belt-shaped separation region extending along an edge of the heater formation region, forming a heat-generating film on the mask and the undercoating layer, the heat-generating film being made of the conductive heat-generating material, peeling, using a laser, the heat-generating film formed in the separation region, and removing the mask and the heat-generating film formed on the mask. The separation region has a width that is set to be smaller than a beam diameter of each of near-infrared rays transmitted from the transmitting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2022
    Publication date: September 22, 2022
    Inventors: Risa HIRANO, Koji OKUMURA, Koji FUKAGAWA, Katsuyuki HIRANO
  • Publication number: 20220268605
    Abstract: An electromagnetic wave sensor cover, applied to an electromagnetic wave sensor including a transmission unit and a reception unit, includes a cover main body portion that covers the transmission unit and the reception unit. The cover main body portion includes: a base material formed of a resin material and having a transmission property of an electromagnetic wave from the transmission unit; an undercoat layer formed on a rear surface of the base material and having the transmission property of the electromagnetic wave from the transmission unit; a heater portion that is formed of copper in a band shape on a rear surface of the undercoat layer, is configured to generate heat by being energized, and adheres to the base material via the undercoat layer; and a SiO2 coating film having the transmission property of the electromagnetic wave from the transmission unit and covering the heater portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Risa HIRANO, Koji OKUMURA, Koji FUKAGAWA, Hiroaki ANDO
  • Patent number: 11385176
    Abstract: In a cover device for a near-infrared sensor, a plate-shaped cover is arranged in a vehicle such that near-infrared light transmitted from a near-infrared sensor passes through the cover in the thickness direction. A part of the cover in the thickness direction is constituted by a bright decorative layer, which reflects part of incident visible light and allows near-infrared light to pass through. The cover is configured such that the near-infrared light transmittance is higher than the visible light transmittance. The vehicle further includes a light emitting portion, which emits visible light to the cover.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Shintarou Okawa, Hiroaki Ando, Hirotaka Fukui, Yoshiharu Tanaka
  • Patent number: 11366218
    Abstract: A vehicle sensor unit includes a millimeter wave radar device, an infrared sensor that is arranged at a position adjacent to the millimeter wave radar device, and a cover having a first cover portion and a second cover portion. The first cover portion is located in front of the millimeter wave radar device in a transmission direction of the millimeter waves to conceal the millimeter wave radar device and has millimeter wave transparency. The second cover portion is located in front of the infrared sensor in a transmission direction of the infrared light to conceal the infrared sensor and has infrared light transparency. The millimeter wave radar device and the infrared sensor are attached to the cover so that the whole vehicle sensor unit is configured as a single unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Takahashi, Koji Sakurai, Akihiro Misawa, Tadaoki Ichikawa, Hideto Maeda, Koji Okumura, Yasuhito Takeuchi, Shintaro Okawa, Hiroaki Ando, Yoshinori Yoshizawa
  • Publication number: 20220137229
    Abstract: A first fastening portion is provided on a surface on the inner side of a sensor cover. A first support portion is provided around an opening of an exterior component. The first fastening portion is fastened to the first support portion, with the first fastening portion being allowed to be unfastened from the first support portion. The exterior component includes a tubular wall portion. The tubular wall portion includes an attaching hole. Part of the near-infrared sensor is arranged inside the tubular wall portion through an attaching hole of the tubular wall portion. The near-infrared sensor includes a second fastening portion. The exterior component includes a second support portion on or outside the tubular wall portion. The second fastening portion is fastened to the second support portion, with the second fastening portion being allowed to be unfastened from the second support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Akihiro HIROSE, Koji OKUMURA
  • Publication number: 20220134964
    Abstract: An emblem (30) (vehicle decorative part) includes a decorative main body (31) and a heater (55). The decorative main body (31) is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar to decorate the vehicle and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater (55) has a heating element (57) that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element (57) is located in a irradiation region (Z1) of the millimeter waves in the heater (55). As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater (55), the heating element (57) is incorporated in the heater (55) in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element (57) that occupies the irradiation region (Z1) to an area of the irradiation region (Z1) is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2022
    Publication date: May 5, 2022
    Inventors: Koji OKUMURA, Hideto MAEDA
  • Patent number: 11298917
    Abstract: A decorative member includes: a transparent resin layer provided on a rear surface thereof with a general portion, a stepped portion recessed or protrudingly provided with respect to the general portion, and an inclination portion provided between the stepped portion and the general portion; and a decorative layer provided on the rear surface, wherein: an inclination angle of the inclination portion with respect to a normal line of the general portion is equal to or more than 25° and is equal to or less than 40°; a width of the inclination portion is large beyond 0.38 mm and is equal to or less than 1 mm; and the decorative layer includes: a first layer that covers the stepped portion of the rear surface; and a second layer that covers a part of the rear surface, which is not covered by at least the first layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2022
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., SHINKO NAMEPLATE CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Hideto Maeda, Tatsuya Oba, Daiichiro Kawashima, Mitsuo Yoshida
  • Patent number: 11267410
    Abstract: A vehicle decorative part includes a decorative main body and a heater. The decorative main body is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element is located in an irradiation region of the millimeter waves in the heater. As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater, the heating element is incorporated in the heater in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element that occupies the irradiation region to an area of the irradiation region is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Hideto Maeda
  • Publication number: 20220035024
    Abstract: A vehicle decorative part includes a decorative main body and a heater. The decorative main body is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element is located in an irradiation region of the millimeter waves in the heater. As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater, the heating element is incorporated in the heater in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element that occupies the irradiation region to an area of the irradiation region is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2021
    Publication date: February 3, 2022
    Inventors: Koji OKUMURA, Hideto MAEDA
  • Patent number: 11193831
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover includes a film setting step. The film setting step includes setting a heater film on a first molding die and setting a hard coating film on a second molding die. The method for manufacturing a near-infrared sensor cover further includes a base molding step for molding a base including clamping a mold, injecting molten plastic into a gap between the heater film and the hard coating film, and curing the molten plastic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignees: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD., NISSHA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Koji Fukagawa, Hiroyuki Konishi, Tatsuo Ito
  • Publication number: 20210148761
    Abstract: A near-infrared sensor cover includes a cover body having transmissiveness to near-infrared rays. The cover body includes a base and a heater unit. The heater unit is arranged rearward of the base in a transmission direction of the near-infrared rays and includes a wire-like heating element. The heating element is configured to generate heat when energized. The base includes a rear portion that includes a rear surface of the base in the transmission direction. In the rear portion of the base, at least part of a section that is different from a section in which the heater unit is provided is formed by a reflection suppression structure including asperities. The asperities include a reflection suppression surface that is inclined relative to the transmission direction and reduces reflection of the near-infrared rays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Koji OKUMURA, Koji FUKAGAWA, Kazumi SAWAMURA
  • Patent number: 10974661
    Abstract: A vehicle decorative part includes a decorative main body and a heater. The decorative main body is configured to be attached to a vehicle at a front side in a transmission direction of millimeter waves from a millimeter wave radar and has a millimeter wave transparency. The heater has a heating element that emits heat when energized. At least a part of the heating element is located in an irradiation region of the millimeter waves in the heater. As a millimeter wave attenuation reducing configuration that reduces attenuation of the millimeter waves passing through the heater, the heating element is incorporated in the heater in a condition where an area proportion of an area of a section of the heating element that occupies the irradiation region to an area of the irradiation region is set such that an attenuation amount of the millimeter waves is less than or equal to a permissible value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2021
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Okumura, Hideto Maeda
  • Publication number: 20210096221
    Abstract: A near-infrared sensor cover includes a cover body that is transmissive to near-infrared light. The cover body includes a base, a hard coating layer, a heater, and an anti-reflection layer. The base is formed from a transparent resin material. The hard coating layer is formed at a front of the base in a transmission direction of near-infrared light and has a greater hardness than the base. The heater is formed at a rear of the base in the transmission direction and formed by a linear heating element that generates heat when energized. The anti-reflection layer is formed at a rear of the heater in the transmission direction to limit reflection of near-infrared light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2020
    Publication date: April 1, 2021
    Inventors: Koji OKUMURA, Koji FUKAGAWA, Kouki MIKAMI, Takazumi IKEGAME