Patents by Inventor Makoto Sekizuka

Makoto Sekizuka 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: 11066038
    Abstract: An occupant protection system includes a seat disposed such that a rear surface of a seatback in a seat front-rear direction faces a wall portion of a vehicle cabin; an airbag provided in the wall portion or the seatback and configured to support the seatback by inflating and deploying between the wall portion and the seatback; and an inflator configured to generate gas to be supplied to the airbag in a case where a collision that causes an occupant seated in the seat to inertially move rearward in the seat front-rear direction is detected or predicted. The airbag has a vent hole through which the gas inside the airbag is discharged outside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Patent number: 10988062
    Abstract: A 3-point seatbelt device includes webbing for restraining an occupant, with one end of the webbing disposed on one seat width direction side of a rear portion of a seat cushion frame, and includes a buckle to engage with a tongue plate. The rod shaped submarining restriction member spans across a front portion of the seat cushion frame in the seat width direction, is actuated by a first load imparted to the webbing from a seated occupant in a frontal collision of the vehicle, and moves toward a vehicle upper side from a pre-actuation normal position toward a post-actuation restricting position. The pair of load transmission members are respectively coupled to the submarining restriction member and either the one end of the webbing or the buckle in a seat front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20210053585
    Abstract: A vehicle interlock system includes a wheelchair fixing device configured to fix a wheelchair to a vehicle, a seatbelt device having a seatbelt configured such that, an occupant seated in the wheelchair wears the seatbelt, and a control unit. The control unit is configured to limit at least one of an upper limit traveling speed and an upper limit acceleration of the vehicle or output a warning signal, or to output a warning signal while limiting at least one of the upper limit traveling speed and the upper limit acceleration of the vehicle depending on at least one of the following conditions: whether the wheelchair is fixed to the vehicle with the wheelchair fixing device; whether the occupant is wearing the seatbelt; and so forth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi Ohno, Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20210053528
    Abstract: A wheelchair securing structure includes: a securing device provided in a wheelchair securing space inside a vehicle cabin, the securing device being configured to secure a wheelchair; a securing detection portion configured to detect that the wheelchair is secured by the securing device; and a display portion provided at a position where the display portion is visually recognizable by an occupant of the wheelchair from the wheelchair securing space inside the vehicle cabin, the display portion being configured to display a secured state of the wheelchair, the secured state being detected by the securing detection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sekizuka, Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20210000667
    Abstract: A wheelchair fixing device includes: a belt member having one end wound around a retractor and the other end attachable to a wheelchair or an attachment portion in a vehicle cabin; a lock mechanism provided in the retractor and performing electrical switching between a locked state in which the belt member is disabled to be pulled out and an unlocked state in which the belt member is enabled to be pulled out; and a switching unit switching the lock mechanism to the locked state when the other end of the belt member is attached to the wheelchair or the attachment portion, and switching the lock mechanism to the unlocked state when the other end of the belt member is detached in a stopped state of a vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20210001800
    Abstract: A wheelchair occupant restraint device includes: a wheelchair retractor which is disposed in a vehicle cabin, and around which one end portion of a wheelchair belt member is wound; a wheelchair buckle which is disposed on the opposite side of a securing space for a wheelchair from the wheelchair retractor, and on which a wheelchair tongue plate attached to the other end portion of the wheelchair belt member is able to be mounted; an occupant retractor which is disposed on the opposite side of the securing space from the wheelchair retractor, and around which one end portion of an occupant belt member is wound; and an occupant buckle which is disposed on the opposite side of the securing space from the occupant retractor, and on which an occupant tongue plate attached to the other end portion of the occupant belt member is able to be mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sekizuka, Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20210000668
    Abstract: A wheelchair-bound passenger restraint device has a wheelchair retractor that rewinds one end portion of a wheelchair belt member in an extractable manner, a wheelchair buckle that can be fitted with a wheelchair tongue plate, a passenger retractor that rewinds one end portion of a passenger belt member in an extractable manner, a passenger buckle that can be fitted with a passenger tongue plate, a buckle sensor that detects that the wheelchair tongue plate has been fitted to the wheelchair buckle, and a passenger belt lock mechanism that is configured to be able to make a changeover between a locked state making the passenger belt member unextractable an unlocked state making the passenger belt member extractable, and that makes a changeover from the locked state to the unlocked state when it is detected that the wheelchair tongue plate has been fitted to the wheelchair buckle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2020
    Publication date: January 7, 2021
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sekizuka, Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20200390623
    Abstract: A wheelchair fixing tool includes: a fixing part fixed to an upright member uprightly provided in a vehicle cabin; a hook detachable from a wheelchair: and a belt member formed long, having stretchability, and connecting the fixing part and the hook.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2020
    Publication date: December 17, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Sekizuka, Osamu Fukawatase
  • Publication number: 20200384940
    Abstract: In a shielding state, a partition extends from an upper portion to a lower portion of a cabin in such a manner as to partition a space between a pair of opposing vehicle seats. In the case where the partition is in the shielding state during a collision of a vehicle, the partition is inflated in a vehicle longitudinal direction by gas supplied from an inflator that is actuated when a collision detection sensor detects the collision of the vehicle. That is, since the partition is inflated in the space between the pair of the vehicle seats without interfering with the vehicle seats, the partition can reliably restrain an occupant who receives a collision load and is thereby displaced in the vehicle longitudinal direction from the vehicle seat. In this way, it is possible to easily secure a private space in the cabin and to improve occupant restraint performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2020
    Publication date: December 10, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20200377041
    Abstract: A partition provided between a pair of vehicle seats arranged to face each other in a vehicle cabin is provided to extend from an upper part to a lower part of the vehicle cabin in a partitioning state. Therefore, the partition in the partitioning state can block respective visual lines of occupants seated in the pair of vehicle seats. Since the partition in the non-partitioning state is accommodated in a predetermined position, by setting the partition to the non-partitioning state when the occupant is seated on only one side of the pair of vehicle seats or the like, the occupant can obtain a feeling of openness. The partition can be selectively switched between the partitioning state and the non-partitioning state by an operation switch. Accordingly, it is possible to secure a private space for allowing the occupant to have a comfortable state or a relaxed state inside the vehicle cabin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2020
    Publication date: December 3, 2020
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20200269790
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant protection device includes a seat belt device having a variable force limiter mechanism that can change a force limiter load that an occupant who is sitting on a vehicle seat receives from a seat belt at a time of a frontal collision of a vehicle, an airbag device that deploys an airbag toward the front of the occupant at the time of the frontal collision, a seating position detection unit that detects a seating position at which the occupant is seated, and a control unit that reduces the force limiter load if, compared to a case in which the occupant is positioned within a standard seating region, the seating position of the occupant detected by the seating position detection unit is further toward a vehicle rear than the standard seating region and is within an airbag protection region in which the occupant is protected by the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventor: Makoto SEKIZUKA
  • Patent number: 10703332
    Abstract: A three-point seatbelt device includes: a webbing configured to function as a shoulder belt and a lap belt; a shoulder-side reeler that includes a pre-tensioner mechanism and a shoulder-side force limiter mechanism, and is configured to reel up an end portion of the webbing on a shoulder belt side so as to allow the webbing to be pulled out; a tongue mounted on the webbing; and an inner belt including a buckle to which the tongue is coupled, the inner belt including, of a pre-tensioner mechanism and a buckle-side force limiter mechanism, only the buckle-side force limiter mechanism. An initial load of the buckle-side force limiter mechanism is set to be larger than an initial load of the shoulder-side force limiter mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigekazu Imanaka, Makoto Sekizuka, Mitsuyoshi Ohno
  • Publication number: 20200130632
    Abstract: An occupant protecting device for a vehicle has a knee airbag that is disposed at a seat front side of a vehicle seat, and that, at a time of a front collision of a vehicle, deploys, and restrains leg portions of a vehicle occupant seated in the vehicle seat. A foot airbag is disposed at the seat front side of the vehicle seat. At a time of a front collision of the vehicle, when a seat front-rear direction position of the vehicle seat is disposed further toward a rear side than a predetermined position, the foot airbag deploys between the knee airbag and the leg portions of the vehicle occupant seated in the vehicle seat, and restrains the leg portions of the vehicle occupant seated in the vehicle seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20200122611
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is provided with a wire that, in the event of a vehicle frontal collision, enables a pulling load applied by a vehicle occupant to a webbing to be transmitted between a cushion frame of a seat cushion and a movable rail of a sliding device. One end portion of the wire is anchored to a first anchoring member of the movable rail, while another end portion of the wire is anchored to a second anchoring member of the cushion frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20200122676
    Abstract: An occupant protection system includes a seat disposed such that a rear surface of a seatback in a seat front-rear direction faces a wall portion of a vehicle cabin; an airbag provided in the wall portion or the seatback and configured to support the seatback by inflating and deploying between the wall portion and the seatback; and an inflator configured to generate gas to be supplied to the airbag in a case where a collision that causes an occupant seated in the seat to inertially move rearward in the seat front-rear direction is detected or predicted. The airbag has a vent hole through which the gas inside the airbag is discharged outside.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2019
    Publication date: April 23, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto SEKIZUKA
  • Publication number: 20200108747
    Abstract: A vehicle seat structure includes a vehicle seat including a seat cushion and a seatback, and a pushing apparatus provided inside the seatback at a predetermined height. The pushing apparatus includes a pushing portion that, at a time of a vehicle collision in which an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat moves to a seat forward side, pushes a portion of a seat front face of the seatback to the seat forward side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Inventor: Makoto Sekizuka
  • Publication number: 20200108748
    Abstract: A vehicle seat that includes: a seat cushion that is configured to be raised and lowered in a seat vertical direction; a buckle that is attachable to an attachment location that is not subject to the raising or lowering of the seat cushion, and that retains a tongue provided at an elongated belt shaped webbing, in a state in which in the webbing is worn over at least a pelvis area of the occupant; and a lifting device that is actuated, in a case in which a collision of a vehicle has been detected, so as to move the occupant, in a case in which the occupant is sitting on the seat cushion, toward an upper side of the seat at a location further toward a rear side of the seat than a central portion of the seat cushion in a front-rear direction of the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2019
    Publication date: April 9, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Makoto SEKIZUKA
  • Publication number: 20200101874
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat system, lowering of a seat cushion further toward a vehicle lower side than a lowerable limit value corresponding to a recline angle of a seatback is restricted by a control device in cases in which the physical build of an occupant is smaller than a predetermined value. This enables a reduction in the ability to restrain the body of the occupant using a webbing to be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: April 2, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto SEKIZUKA, Mitsuyoshi OHNO
  • Publication number: 20200079255
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes: a seat main body that includes a seat cushion and a seatback that is connected to a seat rear side end portion of the seat cushion and that is rotatable in a seat front-rear direction with respect to the seat cushion; and a lifter device that moves the seat main body in a seat up-down direction, wherein the seat main body is moved toward a seat upper side by the lifter device in a case in which a reclining angle of the seatback is greater than a predetermined angle and the seat main body is lower than a predetermined height.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsuyoshi OHNO, Makoto SEKIZUKA, Hiroyuki SUZUKI
  • Publication number: 20200079254
    Abstract: A rear-facing occupant protection device is provided. The rear-facing occupant protection device is applied to a vehicle in which a seatback of a front seat is mounted in a rear-facing state in which a back surface of the seatback faces a vehicle-body-side vertical wall portion disposed at a front end of a vehicle cabin, or mounted such that the seat back is capable of taking the rear-facing state. The rear-facing occupant protection device includes: an energy absorbing portion disposed on at least one of a back surface of a seatback pad of the seatback and a rear surface of the vehicle-body-side vertical wall portion, the energy absorbing portion being configured to be deformed so as to absorb energy at a time of a frontal collision of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuya MORI, Makoto SEKIZUKA