Patents by Inventor Koji Sawahata

Koji Sawahata 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: 11858325
    Abstract: A collapsible deflector member of a sunroof device including a front portion on the front side of an opening and corner portions extending rearward from the front portion, respectively, a lower edge fixed to a lower edge of the deflector and attached to a fore part of a frame structure, an upper edge supporting an upper edge of the deflector, and arms end connected to one of longitudinal ends of the upper edge in a manner that allows the arm end to move. Upper edges of the front portion and the corner portions of the deflector include a bag-shaped fitting portion fitted onto the upper edge, and in the arm, an arc-shaped portion inserted into the corner portion of the deflector is formed at the arm end, and a connecting portion positioned on an end side of the arc-shaped portion and connected to an end of the upper edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Takeshi Mizoguchi, Masaya Kobatake, Shigeru Ueki
  • Patent number: 11731495
    Abstract: To allow receiving rain water by moving a drip member upward and downward in a substantially horizontal direction with a tilting motion of a roof panel, a drip mechanism has a drip member including a trough in an upper surface and covering the entire length of a lower side of a rear edge of a roof panel; left and right movable bodies disposed on guiderails in left and right side portions of a frame; a lifting unit connecting the drip member to the left and right movable bodies that allows the drip member to move upward and downward; and an interlocking member connecting the drip member with the roof panel. In the lifting unit, front and rear link members connect the drip member with the movable body and a member urging, in a rising direction, portions of these front and rear link members and on the drip member-connected side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2023
    Assignee: WEBASTO SE
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Toru Shibue
  • Publication number: 20220379694
    Abstract: To allow receiving rain water by moving a drip member upward and downward in a substantially horizontal direction with a tilting motion of a roof panel, a drip mechanism has a drip member including a trough in an upper surface and covering the entire length of a lower side of a rear edge of a roof panel; left and right movable bodies disposed on guiderails in left and right side portions of a frame; a lifting unit connecting the drip member to the left and right movable bodies that allows the drip member to move upward and downward; and an interlocking member connecting the drip member with the roof panel. In the lifting unit, front and rear link members connect the drip member with the movable body and a member urging, in a rising direction, portions of these front and rear link members and on the drip member-connected side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Toru Shibue
  • Patent number: 11505050
    Abstract: A linkage for opening and closing a lid through actuation of an electric motor 12 includes a base bracket 21 extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and a driving lever 14 having one end pivotally connected to the bracket 21 and the other end connected to the lid. The driving lever is driven via a pinion 22 by a sector gear 31 driven by the electric motor. The sector gear is attached to the bracket 21. The electric motor is fixed to a motor bracket 11 and attached via the motor bracket 11 to the bracket. Loosening a member supporting a lateral end portion of the motor bracket 11 and a bolt 41 fixing the bracket 11 to the bracket 21 allows the pinion and the sector gear to be axially disengaged from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Osamu Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20220348061
    Abstract: A collapsible deflector member of a sunroof device including a front portion on the front side of an opening and corner portions extending rearward from the front portion, respectively, a lower edge fixed to a lower edge of the deflector and attached to a fore part of a frame structure, an upper edge supporting an upper edge of the deflector, and arms end connected to one of longitudinal ends of the upper edge in a manner that allows the arm end to move. Upper edges of the front portion and the corner portions of the deflector include a bag-shaped fitting portion fitted onto the upper edge, and in the arm, an arc-shaped portion inserted into the corner portion of the deflector is formed at the arm end, and a connecting portion positioned on an end side of the arc-shaped portion and connected to an end of the upper edge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2020
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Takeshi MIZOGUCHI, Masaya Kobatake, Shigeru UEKI
  • Patent number: 11279214
    Abstract: In a driver, supposing that an angular position of the rotator in a state where a coupler coupling a link member and the rotator together is located at a rearmost position is regarded as a reference angular position, a first angular position is an angular position where the rotator is shifted from the reference angular position in a first rotation direction by an angle ?1, and a second angular position is an angular position where the rotator is shifted from the reference angular position in a second direction opposite to the first rotation direction by an angle ?2 smaller than the angle ?1. The driver has a regulating portion which does not allow the rotator to rotate in the second rotation direction from the second angular position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Osamu Yoshida
  • Patent number: 10800235
    Abstract: An accessory that needs to be protected against water is located in a water-coverable area with waterproofness being provided with certainty, while the number of components is suppressed from increasing. An accessory provided with a metal casing or including a female connector is provided in a water-coverable area of an automobile including a retractable roof. A cover covering the accessory is provided. The cover includes a plurality of panels and a plurality of hinges and is foldable upward. A harness supporting bracket supporting a wire harness has a pressing function of pressing the cover such that the cover is not foldable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuta Tsuda, Miwa Shinohara, Koji Sawahata, Keita Takehara
  • Patent number: 10661642
    Abstract: In a back window part seal structure for a vehicle with a retractable roof wherein a weather strip is used, an outer panel provided on a deck cover includes an upper overlap portion that covers a weather strip at an upper edge of a back window from diagonally above and behind the vehicle to improve the sealing property and achieve a configuration in which the assembly failure is less likely to occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Akio Yamada, Yasufumi Kawakami, Masaki Oda, Takashi Senoo, Miwa Shinohara, Keiichiro Nishiura
  • Patent number: 10589612
    Abstract: A weather strip 5 is attached to a peripheral edge of an opening 4a of a vehicle body 1?, and a deck cover 18 includes a resin outer panel 21 and an inner panel 23 joined onto a rear side of the outer panel 21. A spacer 35 is interposed between the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 23 such that a portion of the deck cover 18 provided with the spacer 35 makes contact with the weather strip 5 when the deck cover 18 is closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2020
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Akio Yamada, Syuji Yoshida, Masato Shinkawa, Takuya Nishibayashi
  • Patent number: 10549615
    Abstract: Disclosed is a structure of a cover which allows a first link 25 to be pivotally coupled to a front roof panel via a stepped rivet 27, and a cover 31 to be pivotally coupled to the stepped rivet 27 via a first stepped screw 33. An overhang portion 27e of the stepped rivet 27 is joined to the front roof panel with a periphery of a front attachment hole 23c of the front roof panel being sandwiched between the overhang portion 27e and a large diameter portion 27c inserted in an insertion hole 25a of the first link 25 to pivotally support the first link 25. The first stepped screw 33 has a threaded portion 33d fastened into a fastening hole 27f of the stepped rivet 27, and a base end 33c inserted in a first through hole 31b of the cover 31 to pivotally support the cover 31.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Takeshi Mizoguchi
  • Patent number: 10525806
    Abstract: There are provided a front roof, a rear roof, a glass unit including a rear-window glass, a rear roof support link which openably supports the rear roof at a vehicle body, a front-roof support link mechanism which openably supports the front roof, the front-roof support link mechanism being connected to the rear roof support link such that closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by means of the rear roof support link and the front-roof support link mechanism, and a glass-unit support link mechanism which is connected to the rear roof support link and configured to support the glass unit in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: Webasto Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koji Sawahata, Yasufumi Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20190152306
    Abstract: In a back window part seal structure for a vehicle with a retractable roof wherein a weather strip is used, an outer panel 35 provided on a deck cover 18 includes an upper overlap portion 36 that covers a weather strip 40 at an upper edge of a back window 15 from diagonally above and behind the vehicle to improve the sealing property and achieve a configuration in which the assembly failure is less likely to occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Applicant: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Akio YAMADA, Yasufumi KAWAKAMI, Masaki ODA, Takashi SENOO, Miwa SHINOHARA, Keiichiro NISHIURA
  • Publication number: 20190084392
    Abstract: In a driver, supposing that an angular position of the rotator in a state where a coupler coupling a link member and the rotator together is located at a rearmost position is regarded as a reference angular position, a first angular position is an angular position where the rotator is shifted from the reference angular position in a first rotation direction by an angle ?1, and a second angular position is an angular position where the rotator is shifted from the reference angular position in a second direction opposite to the first rotation direction by an angle ?2 smaller than the angle ?1. The driver has a regulating portion which does not allow the rotator to rotate in the second rotation direction from the second angular position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 21, 2019
    Applicant: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Osamu YOSHIDA
  • Publication number: 20190077237
    Abstract: Disclosed is a structure of a cover which allows a first link 25 to be pivotally coupled to a front roof panel via a stepped rivet 27, and a cover 31 to be pivotally coupled to the stepped rivet 27 via a first stepped screw 33. An overhang portion 27e of the stepped rivet 27 is joined to the front roof panel with a periphery of a front attachment hole 23c of the front roof panel being sandwiched between the overhang portion 27e and a large diameter portion 27c inserted in an insertion hole 25a of the first link 25 to pivotally support the first link 25. The first stepped screw 33 has a threaded portion 33d fastened into a fastening hole 27f of the stepped rivet 27, and a base end 33c inserted in a first through hole 31b of the cover 31 to pivotally support the cover 31.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Takeshi MIZOGUCHI
  • Publication number: 20190077240
    Abstract: A weather strip 5 is attached to a peripheral edge of an opening 4a of a vehicle body 1?, and a deck cover 18 includes a resin outer panel 21 and an inner panel 23 joined onto a rear side of the outer panel 21. A spacer 35 is interposed between the outer panel 21 and the inner panel 23 such that a portion of the deck cover 18 provided with the spacer 35 makes contact with the weather strip 5 when the deck cover 18 is closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Akio YAMADA, Syuji YOSHIDA, Masato SHINKAWA, Takuya NISHIBAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190061500
    Abstract: An accessory that needs to be protected against water is located in a water-coverable area with waterproofness being provided with certainty, while the number of components is suppressed from increasing. An accessory provided with a metal casing or including a female connector is provided in a water-coverable area of an automobile including a retractable roof. A cover covering the accessory is provided. The cover includes a plurality of panels and a plurality of hinges and is foldable upward. A harness supporting bracket supporting a wire harness has a pressing function of pressing the cover such that the cover is not foldable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Yuta TSUDA, Miwa SHINOHARA, Koji SAWAHATA, Keita TAKEHARA
  • Publication number: 20190054810
    Abstract: A linkage for opening and closing a lid through actuation of an electric motor 12 includes a base bracket 21 extending in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and a driving lever 14 having one end pivotally connected to the bracket 21 and the other end connected to the lid. The driving lever is driven via a pinion 22 by a sector gear 31 driven by the electric motor. The sector gear is attached to the bracket 21. The electric motor is fixed to a motor bracket 11 and attached via the motor bracket 11 to the bracket. Loosening a member supporting a lateral end portion of the motor bracket 11 and a bolt 41 fixing the bracket 11 to the bracket 21 allows the pinion and the sector gear to be axially disengaged from each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2017
    Publication date: February 21, 2019
    Applicant: WEBASTO JAPAN CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji SAWAHATA, Osamu YOSHIDA
  • Patent number: 10183561
    Abstract: There are provided a front roof, a rear roof, a glass unit including a rear-window glass, a rear roof support link which openably supports the rear roof at a vehicle body, a front-roof support link mechanism which openably supports the front roof, the front-roof support link mechanism being connected to the rear roof support link such that closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by means of the rear roof support link and the front-roof support link mechanism, and a glass-unit support link mechanism which is connected to the rear roof support link and configured to support the glass unit in a closed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Webasto Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Matsumoto, Koji Sawahata, Yasufumi Kawakami
  • Publication number: 20180334019
    Abstract: There are provided a front roof, a rear roof, a glass unit including a rear-window glass, a rear roof support link which openably supports the rear roof at a vehicle body, a front-roof support link mechanism which openably supports the front roof, the front-roof support link mechanism being connected to the rear roof support link such that closed states of both the front roof and the rear roof are achieved by means of the rear roof support link and the front-roof support link mechanism, and a glass-unit support link mechanism which is connected to the rear roof support link and configured to support the glass unit in a closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2018
    Publication date: November 22, 2018
    Applicants: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Webasto Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi MATSUMOTO, Koji SAWAHATA, Yasufumi KAWAKAMI
  • Patent number: 10035409
    Abstract: There provided an openable roof, a link mechanism foldably supporting the openable roof, and a drive device to drive a drive link of a link mechanism. The drive device comprises a drive unit including a drive gear connected to a drive motor, a driven gear provided at the drive link, and an intermediate gear engaging with the drive gear and the driven gear. The drive unit is located at a lower level than a beltline of the vehicle body, the driven-gear pivotal portion is located at a higher level than the beltline, and the intermediate gear is located at a specified level such that the intermediate gear overlaps the beltline in a side view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignees: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION, Webasto Japan Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouichi Matsumoto, Koji Sawahata, Takeshi Mizoguchi