Patents by Inventor Masafumi Kawashima

Masafumi Kawashima 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).

  • Publication number: 20150251578
    Abstract: A vehicle seat air-conditioning device includes a vehicle seat, an electric blower, and a plurality of ducts. The vehicle seat includes a plurality of regions. The electric blower includes a plurality of fans and one electric motor. The plurality of fans correspond to the plurality of regions, respectively. The electric blower drives the plurality of fans by the one electric motor to have blowing capacity corresponding to the plurality of regions respectively. Each of the plurality of ducts is provided between a corresponding one of the plurality of regions and a corresponding one of the plurality of fans. An air flow produced by each of the plurality of fans passes through a corresponding one of the plurality of ducts. The air flow passing through each of the plurality of ducts air-conditions or ventilates a corresponding one of the plurality of regions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Fumiya Ishii, Masafumi Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20120202413
    Abstract: An air-conditioning system comprising a vehicle air-conditioner which uses a target blowing-out temperature as the basis to control an air outlet temperature in a cabin and a seat air-conditioning unit which sucks recirculated air into a seat and controls at least the seat air-conditioning air flow per unit time so as to perform seat air-conditioning, wherein the air-conditioning system increases the seat air-conditioning air flow when detecting that the vehicle speed is a predetermined value or less, calculates a correction amount for the target blowing-out temperature considered neutral in warmness sense level for the increased seat air-conditioning air flow, and uses the correction amount as the basis to correct the target blowing-out temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Masafumi Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20110232310
    Abstract: An air conditioner includes a cooling heat exchanger configured to cool air, and a wet-state detection sensor attached to an air outlet surface of the cooling heat exchanger to detect a wet state of the air outlet surface due to condensation water. The air outlet surface of the cooling heat exchanger is tilted by an angle with respect to a horizontal direction or is perpendicular to the horizontal direction, and the wet-state detection sensor is arranged at a position in an upper half area of the air outlet surface in a direction perpendicular to the horizontal direction. Alternatively, the wet-state detection sensor is arranged at a position of the air outlet surface in a high-temperature area in which the temperature is higher than an average temperature of the air outlet surface. In this case, the high-temperature area may be positioned within the upper half area of the air outlet surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 29, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Kawashima, Haruki Misumi, Souta Okabe
  • Publication number: 20110067422
    Abstract: An air-conditioning device for a vehicle includes a blower and an estimating portion. The blower is disposed in an air-conditioning case, and performs a dry control for a heat exchanger arranged in a passenger compartment of the vehicle by sending air. The blower uses one of power supplied from an external power source, power supplied from the battery having residual quantity equal to or larger than a predetermined quantity, or power supplied from an in-vehicle solar cell, while the vehicle is parked. The estimating portion estimates an approximate elimination of odor generated from the heat exchanger by starting the sending of air, and stops the blower based on the estimation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 24, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshinori Ichishi, Yoshinori Yanagimachi, Yasushi Kondo, Masafumi Kawashima, Haruki Misumi
  • Publication number: 20080256966
    Abstract: An air conditioner for a vehicle includes a blower for generating a flow of air, a center defroster air-blowing outlet disposed adjacent to a windshield of the vehicle for blowing the air toward the windshield, a side defroster air-blowing outlet disposed adjacent to a side window glass of the vehicle for blowing the air toward the side window glass, and a defroster air volume adjusting unit disposed to adjust the volume of air blown from a center defroster air-blowing outlet and the volume of air blown from a side defroster air-blowing outlet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2007
    Publication date: October 23, 2008
    Applicant: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kawashima, Tatsumi Kumada, Takuya Kataoka
  • Patent number: 6951235
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming a carved groove of a green tire capable of forming a carved groove of a necessary depth without being influenced by variation of outer diameters of the green tire is provided. In a method and an apparatus for forming a carved groove for a lug groove with a cutter on an outer circumferential surface of a green tire before curing, a distance sensor is moved along a portion to be carved on the outer circumferential surface of the green tire to measure outer diameters of the portion to be carved, cut shape data for a green tire having an ideal shape stored in memory beforehand is revised on the basis of the measured outer diameters, and the cutter is moved in accordance with the revised cut shape data for carving.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Bridgestone Corporation
    Inventors: Masafumi Kawashima, Satoru Syudou
  • Patent number: 6918262
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes an air conditioner for blowing conditioned air toward a compartment of a vehicle, and a dashboard having a design surface exposed to the compartment. An inner air passage extending nearly parallel to the design surface is formed in the dashboard, and a plurality of diffusion blowing openings are formed in the design surface. Thus, the condensed air is blown from the diffusion blowing openings into the compartment of the vehicle, while passing through the inner air passage. For example, cool air is blown from the diffusion blowing openings, so that the cool air can cool the dashboard while cooling the compartment of the vehicle. Moreover, because the cool air passes through the inner air passage extending nearly parallel to the design surface, the dashboard can be effectively cooled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kamiya, Koichi Ito, Kazushi Shikata, Masafumi Kawashima, Yasuyuki Nishi
  • Patent number: 6877787
    Abstract: A strength member, for vehicle use, extending in the vehicle width direction inside an instrument panel of a vehicle has a reinforcing bar in which a closed space is formed, and the reinforcing bar has a driver's seat side region, a central region and an assistant driver's seat side region, the reinforcing bar being composed of a metallic member arranged in the driver's seat side region and a resin member or a resin and metallic member arranged in the central region and the assistant driver's seat side region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Koichi Ito, Mikio Hirano, Masafumi Kawashima, Hironori Suzuki, Dai Matsui, Kazushi Shikata, Mitsugu Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20040031279
    Abstract: An air conditioning system includes an air conditioner for blowing conditioned air toward a compartment of a vehicle, and a dashboard having a design surface exposed to the compartment. An inner air passage extending nearly parallel to the design surface is formed in the dashboard, and a plurality of diffusion blowing openings are formed in the design surface. Thus, the condensed air is blown from the diffusion blowing openings into the compartment of the vehicle, while passing through the inner air passage. For example, cool air is blown from the diffusion blowing openings, so that the cool air can cool the dashboard while cooling the compartment of the vehicle. Moreover, because the cool air passes through the inner air passage extending nearly parallel to the design surface, the dashboard can be effectively cooled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kamiya, Koichi Ito, Kazushi Shikata, Masafumi Kawashima, Yasuyuki Nishi
  • Publication number: 20030193207
    Abstract: A strength member, for vehicle use, extending in the vehicle width direction inside an instrument panel of a vehicle has a reinforcing bar in which a closed space is formed, and the reinforcing bar has a driver's seat side region, a central region and an assistant driver's seat side region, the reinforcing bar being composed of a metallic member arranged in the driver's seat side region and a resin member or a resin and metallic member arranged in the central region and the assistant driver's seat side region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2003
    Publication date: October 16, 2003
    Inventors: Koichi Ito, Mikio Hirano, Masafumi Kawashima, Hironori Suzuki, Dai Matsui, Kazushi Shikata, Mitsugu Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 6575701
    Abstract: The same size casing is used for interior air blowers of a combination air conditioning and heater interior unit disposed in left- and right-hand drive vehicles, respectively. A casing width is made nearly constant from a start-of-winding position to an end-of-winding position. An approximately central fan datum line which passes through a fan is offset to a suction port side with respect to a casing datum line which passes through an approximately central part of a portion of the casing parallel to a blower rotational axis. A flange portion of a motor holder is located at a position offset to one side (suction port side) along the rotational axis rather than an opposite side along the same direction in the casing. By replacement of impression cores it is possible to manufacture the casings for right- and left-hand drive vehicles, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kamiya, Kazushi Shikata, Masafumi Kawashima, Satomi Suzuki, Manabu Miyata, Kouji Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 6508703
    Abstract: In an air passage opening/closing device for a vehicle air conditioner, a driving member is disposed to apply driving force for a reciprocating movement of a film member to at least one position of the film member, and a guide member is provided in an air-conditioning case to guide the reciprocating movement of the film member. The film member has a flexible performance to move in a bend path, and has a rigidity to be moved along the guide member when pushing force from the driving member is applied to the film member. Thus, the air passage opening/closing device using the film member has a simple structure without a film-winding mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2003
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Yukio Uemura, So Hibino, Teruhiko Kameoka, Masafumi Kawashima
  • Publication number: 20020154993
    Abstract: The same size casing is used for interior air blowers of a combination air conditioning and heater interior unit disposed in left- and right-hand drive vehicles, respectively. A casing width is made nearly constant from a start-of-winding position to an end-of-winding position. An approximately central fan datum line which passes through a fan is offset to a suction port side with respect to a casing datum line which passes through an approximately central part of a portion of the casing parallel to a blower rotational axis. A flange portion of a motor holder is located at a position offset to one side (suction port side) along the rotational axis rather than an opposite side along the same direction in the casing. By replacement of impression cores it is possible to manufacture the casings for right- and left-hand drive vehicles, respectively.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2002
    Publication date: October 24, 2002
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kamiya, Kazushi Shikata, Masafumi Kawashima, Satomi Suzuki, Manabu Miyata, Kouji Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20020035908
    Abstract: A method and an apparatus for forming a carved groove of a green tire capable of forming a carved groove of a necessary depth without being influenced by variation of outer diameters of the green tire is provided. In a method and an apparatus for forming a carved groove for a lug groove with a cutter on an outer circumferential surface of a green tire before curing, a distance sensor is moved along a portion to be carved on the outer circumferential surface of the green tire to measure outer diameters of the portion to be carved, cut shape data for a green tire having an ideal shape stored in memory beforehand is revised on the basis of the measured outer diameters, and the cutter is moved in accordance with the revised cut shape data for carving.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 5, 2001
    Publication date: March 28, 2002
    Applicant: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masafumi Kawashima, Satoru Syudou
  • Publication number: 20010017203
    Abstract: An automotive air-conditioner unit which is thin and suitable for use as a rear seat unit is composed of a blower unit with a centrifugal fan and a scroll casing, heat-exchanges for cooling and heating, and conditioned air outlets, all contained in an air-conditioner case. A backward centrifugal fan having a large blade angle is used in combination with a scroll casing having a small scroll angle to obtain high fan efficiency in the compact air-conditioner unit. An outlet duct requiring a higher volume of conditioned air is positioned closer to a scroll-starting position of the scroll casing than another outlet duct requiring a less volume. An air passage in the air-conditioner case is formed along a surface perpendicular to a rotational axis of the fan to reduce a pressure loss in the passage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2001
    Publication date: August 30, 2001
    Inventors: Yukio Uemura, Masafumi Kawashima, Koji Ito
  • Patent number: 5946923
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for a vehicle is composed of a control unit which controls an air switching door, an element for detecting a clean-air level of the outside air and a vehicle speed sensor. The control unit controls the air-switching door to set to the outside-air mode when the clean-air level is higher than a reference level and to the inside-air mode when the clean-air level is not higher than the reference level. The control unit holds the inside-air mode until the vehicle speed becomes higher than a predetermined speed irrespective of the clean-air level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Katsuhiko Samukawa, Yuji Honda, Masafumi Kawashima, Yutaka Hirose
  • Patent number: 5775415
    Abstract: An air conditioning system for an automobile having an evaporator, in a refrigerating circuit, and a heater core which is located downstream from the evaporator in a duct having an inlet for introduction of air and an outlet for discharging the air into a cabin, and an air mix damper for controlling the ratio of the amount of air into the heater core and the amount of air by-passing the heater core. The degree of the opening of the air mix damper is controlled in accordance with the cooling capacity at the evaporator sensed by an after-evaporator temperature sensor so that a target value of the temperature of the air discharged into the cabin is obtained. A correction of the degree of opening of the air mix damper is done by estimating an actual temperature at the after-evaporator sensor during a transient state of the system between the ON and OFF conditions of a compressor, so that a desired setting of the air conditioning state is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohisa Yoshimi, Takayoshi Kawai, Yuji Ito, Masafumi Kawashima, Yuji Honda, Katsuhiko Samukawa