Patents by Inventor Kouji Kikuchi

Kouji Kikuchi 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: 9457660
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm rotating around a first rotation axis line, a return spring and a reaction force adding mechanism including a drive source and a rotation member rotating around a second rotation axis line and having a contact portion contacted to the pedal arm which adds reaction force in the direction to return the pedal arm to the rest position. A first distance from the contact position of the pedal arm with the contact portion to the first rotation axis line is longer than a second distance to the second rotation axis line. The pedal arm includes a contact section having the contact portion displaced while being contacted so that the contact portion is to be farther from the first rotation axis line when rotating toward the maximum depression position and to be closer to the first rotation axis line when rotating toward the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Osawa, Masato Kumamoto, Yoshitomo Fukushima, Kouji Kikuchi, Tsuyoshi Shimizu, Hisashi Kawade, Hiromutsu Touhachi
  • Patent number: 9079492
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal device having a pedal arm working in conjunction with an accelerating pedal, a housing to rotatably support the pedal arm around a prescribed pivot axis line between a rest position and a maximum applied position, a hysteresis generation mechanism that comes in contact with the vicinity of an upper end of the pedal arm to generate hysteresis in a pedal force of the accelerator pedal, and an active control mechanism to push back the pedal arm toward the rest position under prescribed conditions between the pivot axis line and the hysteresis generation mechanism. The active control mechanism includes a drive source provided in the housing, and a return lever that is rotated in the same direction as the direction of the swinging of the pedal arm in conjunction with the drive source and is detachably engaged with the vicinity of the upper end of the pedal arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignees: MIKUNI CORPORATION, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Osawa, Masato Kumamoto, Kouji Kikuchi, Tsuyoshi Shimizu, Hisashi Kawade, Hiromutsu Touhachi
  • Patent number: 8794103
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm rotating around a first rotation axis line and having a contact portion, a return spring and a reaction force adding mechanism including a drive source and a rotation member rotating around a second rotation axis line in a state of being contacted to the contact portion which adds reaction force to return the pedal arm toward the rest position. A first distance from the contact position of the rotation member with the contact portion to the first rotation axis line is longer than a second distance to the second rotation axis line. The rotation member includes a contact section having the contact portion displaced while being contacted so that the contact portion is to be closer to the second rotation axis line when rotating toward the maximum depression position and to be farther from the second rotation axis line when rotating toward the rest position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Mikuni Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Osawa, Masato Kumamoto, Yoshitomo Fukushima, Kouji Kikuchi, Tsuyoshi Shimizu, Hisashi Kawade, Hiromutsu Touhachi
  • Patent number: 8562363
    Abstract: A card connector with an ejection mechanism is described. The card connector may include a base member, a cover member, a card accommodating space, and contact lines, which are electrically connected to a card placed into the card accommodating space. The card connector may also include an ejection lever, a spring, which pushes the ejection lever to the card accommodating space, and a pair of guide walls, which lead the ejection lever in a card insertion/withdrawal direction. The card connector may further include an ejection mechanism for pulling the IC card out of the card accommodating space. The ejection lever may include an arm portion, which comes in contact with a front end portion of the card, a spring mounting portion, a slide portion, which is led to a pair of the guide walls, and a pull portion, which extends outside the base member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Kikuchi, Yoshiharu Ishii, Masaaki Ooya
  • Patent number: 8444441
    Abstract: The card connector, into which an IC card having a plurality of pads arranged in parallel at front and back positions is inserted, includes a plurality of contacts each contacting a corresponding one of the plurality of pads of the IC card and a base member that supports the plurality of contacts. Each of the plurality of contacts has a first and a second elastic piece each having a contact point portion that electrically contacts a pad of the IC card. The first and second elastic pieces are formed such that contact pressures of the respective contact point portions against the pads are different from each other. The plurality of contacts is arranged on the base member in parallel at front and back positions and a first and a second contact piece are arranged in an opposite manner in contacts aligned linearly at front and back positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Satoru Yoshida, Kouji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20110318967
    Abstract: The card connector, into which an IC card having a plurality of pads arranged in parallel at front and back positions is inserted, includes a plurality of contacts each contacting a corresponding one of the plurality of pads of the IC card and a base member that supports the plurality of contacts. Each of the plurality of contacts has a first and a second elastic piece each having a contact point portion that electrically contacts a pad of the IC card. The first and second elastic pieces are formed such that contact pressures of the respective contact point portions against the pads are different from each other. The plurality of contacts is arranged on the base member in parallel at front and back positions and a first and a second contact piece are arranged in an opposite manner in contacts aligned linearly at front and back positions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2010
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Applicant: YAMAICHI ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Satoru Yoshida, Kouji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20110294322
    Abstract: A card connector with an ejection mechanism is described. The card connector may include a base member, a cover member, a card accommodating space, and contact lines, which are electrically connected to a card placed into the card accommodating space. The card connector may also include an ejection lever, a spring, which pushes the ejection lever to the card accommodating space, and a pair of guide walls, which lead the ejection lever in a card insertion/withdrawal direction. The card connector may further include an ejection mechanism for pulling the IC card out of the card accommodating space. The ejection lever may include an arm portion, which comes in contact with a front end portion of the card, a spring mounting portion, a slide portion, which is led to a pair of the guide walls, and a pull portion, which extends outside the base member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: YAMAICHI ELECTRONICS CO., LTD
    Inventors: Kouji KIKUCHI, Yoshiharu ISHII, Masaaki OOYA
  • Publication number: 20110083528
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm rotating around a first rotation axis line, a return spring and a reaction force adding mechanism including a drive source and a rotation member rotating around a second rotation axis line and having a contact portion contacted to the pedal arm which adds reaction force in the direction to return the pedal arm to the rest position. A first distance from the contact position of the pedal arm with the contact portion to the first rotation axis line is longer than a second distance to the second rotation axis line. The pedal arm includes a contact section having the contact portion displaced while being contacted so that the contact portion is to be farther from the first rotation axis line when rotating toward the maximum depression position and to be closer to the first rotation axis line when rotating toward the rest position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Osawa, Masato Kumamoto, Yoshitomo Fukushima, Kouji Kikuchi, Tsuyoshi Shimizu, Hisashi Kawade, Hiromutsu Touhachi
  • Publication number: 20110083527
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal arm rotating around a first rotation axis line and having a contact portion, a return spring and a reaction force adding mechanism including a drive source and a rotation member rotating around a second rotation axis line in a state of being contacted to the contact portion which adds reaction force to return the pedal arm toward the rest position. A first distance from the contact position of the rotation member with the contact portion to the first rotation axis line is longer than a second distance to the second rotation axis line. The rotation member includes a contact section having the contact portion displaced while being contacted so that the contact portion is to be closer to the second rotation axis line when rotating toward the maximum depression position and to be farther from the second rotation axis line when rotating toward the rest position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2010
    Publication date: April 14, 2011
    Applicant: MIKUNI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Osawa, Masato Kumamoto, Yoshitomo Fukushima, Kouji Kikuchi, Tsuyoshi Shimizu, Hisashi Kawade, Hiromutsu Touhachi
  • Patent number: 7878826
    Abstract: There is provided a card connector having a metallic ejection member. A card connector, in which a card accommodating space is formed by a base member and a cover member, comprises a plurality of contacts arranged on the base member, an ejection member capable of moving relative to the base member in a longitudinal direction, a compression coil spring biasing the ejection member rearward, and a heart cam mechanism including a heart cam and a cam groove. The ejection member includes a card push portion, a body, on a forward portion of which a coil spring accommodating space is formed, on a rear portion of which a swinging space is formed, and a coupling portion. The ejection member is formed integrally from a metallic sheet. The coil spring accommodating space and the swinging space are arranged in a row on the same line in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kouji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20100083789
    Abstract: An accelerator pedal device having a pedal arm working in conjunction with an accelerating pedal, a housing to rotatably support the pedal arm around a prescribed pivot axis line between a rest position and a maximum applied position, a hysteresis generation mechanism that comes in contact with the vicinity of an upper end of the pedal arm to generate hysteresis in a pedal force of the accelerator pedal, and an active control mechanism to push back the pedal arm toward the rest position under prescribed conditions between the pivot axis line and the hysteresis generation mechanism. The active control mechanism includes a drive source provided in the housing, and a return lever that is rotated in the same direction as the direction of the swinging of the pedal arm in conjunction with the drive source and is detachably engaged with the vicinity of the upper end of the pedal arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicants: MIKUNI CORPORATION, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi OSAWA, Masato KUMAMOTO, Kouji KIKUCHI, Tsuyoshi SHIMIZU, Hisashi KAWADE, Hiromutsu TOUHACHI
  • Publication number: 20100022136
    Abstract: There is provided a card connector having a metallic ejection member. A card connector, in which a card accommodating space is formed by a base member and a cover member, comprises a plurality of contacts arranged on the base member, an ejection member capable of moving relative to the base member in a longitudinal direction, a compression coil spring biasing the ejection member rearward, and a heart cam mechanism including a heart cam and a cam groove. The ejection member includes a card push portion, a body, on a forward portion of which a coil spring accommodating space is formed, on a rear portion of which a swinging space is formed, and a coupling portion. The ejection member is formed integrally from a metallic sheet. The coil spring accommodating space and the swinging space are arranged in a row on the same line in a longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Publication date: January 28, 2010
    Inventor: Kouji KIKUCHI
  • Patent number: 7252522
    Abstract: A card connector of the present invention includes a connector body, a cover member in combination with the connector body, contact terminals arranged in the connector body, and a card-ejection preventing mechanism provided in a card-inserting opening of the connector body, wherein the card-ejection preventing mechanism has a card-stopper cap adapted to be slidable along the card-inserting opening of the connector body, so that the ejection of a card due to the vibration or the shock is prevented and a contact portion is always brought into contact with a card pad section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ooya, Kouji Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 7214099
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) card connector includes a housing member, an ejection mechanism, and a plurality of braking pieces. The housing member includes an accommodation portion for selectively accommodating an IC card. When the ejection mechanism ejects the IC card from the accommodation portion, an end of at least one of the plurality of braking pieces contacts a movable part of the ejection mechanism. After contacting the movable part of the ejection mechanism, the end of the at least one braking piece retreats. Thus, the braking piece decelerates the ejection speed of the IC card and avoids the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card. Embodiments consistent with the invention may also include an improper insertion piece provided in the housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Kikuchi, Katsuhide Higuchi, Masaaki Ooya
  • Patent number: 7108557
    Abstract: An Integrated Circuit (IC) card connector includes a housing member, an ejection mechanism, and a plurality of braking pieces. The housing member includes an accommodation portion for selectively accommodating an IC card. When the ejection mechanism ejects the IC card from the accommodation portion, an end of at least one of the plurality of braking pieces contacts a movable part of the ejection mechanism. After contacting the movable part of the ejection mechanism, the end of the at least one braking piece retreats. Thus, the braking piece decelerates the ejection speed of the IC card and avoids the undesirable jumping-out of the IC card. Embodiments consistent with the invention may also include an improper insertion piece provided in the housing member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kouji Kikuchi, Katsuhide Higuchi, Masaaki Ooya
  • Publication number: 20060205281
    Abstract: When the memory card is unloaded from the accommodation portion by the ejector member, the projection of the braking section in the ejector member strikes to the bending portion of the ejector member control piece, whereby the unloading speed of the memory card is decelerated to avoid the undesirable jumping-out of the memory card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2006
    Publication date: September 14, 2006
    Inventors: Kouji Kikuchi, Katsuhide Higuchi, Masaaki Ooya
  • Patent number: 7094082
    Abstract: A card connector of the present invention includes a connector body, a cover member in combination with the connector body, contact terminals arranged in the connector body, and a card-ejection preventing mechanism provided in a card-inserting opening of the connector body, wherein the card-ejection preventing mechanism has a card-stopper cap adapted to be slidable along the card-inserting opening of the connector body, so that the ejection of a card due to the vibration or the shock is prevented and a contact portion is always brought into contact with a card pad section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaichi Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaaki Ooya, Kouji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20060116013
    Abstract: A card connector of the present invention includes a connector body, a cover member in combination with the connector body, contact terminals arranged in the connector body, and a card-ejection preventing mechanism provided in a card-inserting opening of the connector body, wherein the card-ejection preventing mechanism has a card-stopper cap adapted to be slidable along the card-inserting opening of the connector body, so that the ejection of a card due to the vibration or the shock is prevented and a contact portion is always brought into contact with a card pad section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: June 1, 2006
    Inventors: Masaaki Ooya, Kouji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20050208804
    Abstract: When the memory card is unloaded from the accommodation portion by the ejector member, the projection of the braking section in the ejector member strikes to the bending portion of the ejector member control piece, whereby the unloading speed of the memory card is decelerated to avoid the undesirable jumping-out of the memory card.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Inventors: Kouji Kikuchi, Katsuhide Higuchi, Masaaki Ooya
  • Patent number: 6940132
    Abstract: A semiconductor device includes a semiconductor substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface, source and drain layers formed in the first major surface, a gate insulating film formed on the first major surface, a gate layer formed on the gate insulating film, a source electrode formed on the first major surface and electrically connected to the source layer, a drain electrode formed on the first major surface, electrically connected to the drain layer, and having a second isolation portion, a gate electrode formed on the first major surface, electrically connected to the gate layer, and having a first isolation portion, a first capacitance adjusting electrode formed on the gate insulating film and having a first capacitance adjusted by the first isolation portion, and a second capacitance adjusting electrode formed on the gate insulating film and having a second capacitance adjusted by the second isolation portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Kouji Kikuchi