Patents by Inventor Masaharu Takagi

Masaharu Takagi 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: 11365569
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus has a first housing superimposed on a second housing that includes a base wall, a first concave wall projecting from the base wall, an engaging part formed in or on the first concave wall, and an opening that provides a path from the outside into an inner housing chamber. A transmission cable includes an inner cable slidably housed in an outer cable. A portion of the inner cable is exposed from a first end of the outer cable, passes through the opening, and is coupled to a rotatable element disposed in the inner housing chamber via a linkage. A casing cap that surrounds an end of the outer cable has a contact part that contacts the first concave wall in a second direction and an engaged part that engages with the engaging part in the second direction when the contact part contacts the first concave wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 11365568
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes latch and actuating housings (9, 7) that are fixed between outer and inner panels (3, 4) of a vehicle door (2). A connector fitting section (80C) is exposed through an open window (4H) in the inner panel (4) toward a vehicle interior side of the inner panel (4). A movable member (50) includes a second end (52) that projects out of the actuating housing (7), passes through an opening (80H) in the actuating housing (7) and also passes through the open window (4H) toward the vehicle interior side, where it is coupled to a link member (C3). The connector fitting section (80C) and the opening (80H) are covered by a single umbrella-shaped blocking member (89) that contacts the actuating housing (7) and the inner panel (4) around at least an upper side of the peripheral edge of the open window (4H).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2022
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 11180935
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes a latch housing (9), a latch mechanism (8), an actuating housing (7), and an actuating mechanism (6). The actuating housing (7) includes a first housing (70) made of resin joined to a second housing (80) made of resin, thereby forming a housing chamber (7A). The first housing (70) includes at least one projection (75P, 75Q, 75R, and 75S) that extends toward the second housing (80) from a proximal end (75A) to a distal end (75B). The second housing 80 includes at least one receptacle (85P, 85Q, 85R, and 85S) having a contact part (85A) welded to the distal end (75B).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 10961751
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes a housing, a fork, a pawl, a first lever displaceably provided in the housing such that the first lever can act on the pawl, and a second lever pivotably provided in the housing. One end of the second lever has a linkage coupled to a lower end of a transmission rod, which is coupled to an exterior door handle. The second lever pivots in response to an opening operation being performed on the exterior door handle and acts on the first lever. A plane of rotation contains an arcuate trajectory traced by the linkage when it pivots in response to the opening operation being performed, and is located farther in a frontward direction of a vehicle frame than a fixing surface. The plane of rotation is inclined relative to a plane containing the fixing surface, and intersects this plane in the vehicle downward direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 10870371
    Abstract: An operation device (1) includes first bases (81A, 81B) and/or second bases (72A, 72B) that are elastically deformable in the direction of a pivot axis (X1) so that a shaft (120) can be inserted into a shaft hole (110). A first protrusion (121) is formed on a distal end portion of the shaft and projects radially outward from an outer sliding surface (120E). The first bases (81A, 81B) include a first escape section (111) recessed radially outward from an inner sliding surface (110E). The first escape section allows the first protrusion to pass through the first base when the shaft is being inserted into the shaft hole with an operation member (80) located in an initial position. A first slip-off preventing section (113) circumferentially adjacent to the first escape section prevents the shaft from coming out of the shaft hole when the operation member is pivoted from the initial position to an end position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2020
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Umezu, Yukio Iwase
  • Publication number: 20200017002
    Abstract: An operation device (1) includes first bases (81A, 81B) and/or second bases (72A, 72B) that are elastically deformable in the direction of a pivot axis (X1) so that a shaft (120) can be inserted into a shaft hole (110). A first protrusion (121) is formed on a distal end portion of the shaft and projects radially outward from an outer sliding surface (120E). The first bases (81A, 81B) include a first escape section (111) recessed radially outward from an inner sliding surface (110E). The first escape section allows the first protrusion to pass through the first base when the shaft is being inserted into the shaft hole with an operation member (80) located in an initial position. A first slip-off preventing section (113) circumferentially adjacent to the first escape section prevents the shaft from coming out of the shaft hole when the operation member is pivoted from the initial position to an end position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2018
    Publication date: January 16, 2020
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi UMEZU, Yukio IWASE
  • Publication number: 20190390486
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes latch and actuating housings (9, 7) that are fixed between outer and inner panels (3, 4) of a vehicle door (2). A connector fitting section (80C) is exposed through an open window (4H) in the inner panel (4) toward a vehicle interior side of the inner panel (4). A movable member (50) includes a second end (52) that projects out of the actuating housing (7), passes through an opening (80H) in the actuating housing (7) and also passes through the open window (4H) toward the vehicle interior side, where it is coupled to a link member (C3). The connector fitting section (80C) and the opening (80H) are covered by a single umbrella-shaped blocking member (89) that contacts the actuating housing (7) and the inner panel (4) around at least an upper side of the peripheral edge of the open window (4H).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2019
    Publication date: December 26, 2019
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Patent number: 10472864
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes housings respectively having a housing chamber and a latch chamber formed therein, a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and being configured to retain a door closed with respect to a vehicle frame, and an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber for actuating the latch mechanism. A first and a second switch are housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, and respectively detect states of the actuating mechanism and the latch mechanism. A plurality of terminals is arranged in a first row and a second row in the housing. The first switch is connected to terminals in the first row and the second switch is connected to terminals in the second row such that the plurality of terminals is sandwiched by the first switch and the second switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 10458158
    Abstract: In a vehicle door lock apparatus, when disposed in an unlocking position, a second lever enables a fork to be displaced to an unlatched position and, in a locking position, it disables the fork from being displaced to the unlatched position. Third levers displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator. In an unblocking position, a fourth lever linked to the fork separates from the second lever. In a blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever and blocks it from being displaced to the locking position. A fifth lever is linked with the fourth lever, detects the position of the fork, and disconnects or connects a switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2019
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 10011203
    Abstract: A cable apparatus is disposed between a handle and an actuator to transmit movement of the handle to the actuator. The handle includes a handle housing defining a housing chamber and an operation lever supported by the handle housing so as to be pivotable about a first axis. The cable apparatus includes a case housed in the housing chamber, a cable having a first end disposed in the case and a second end connected to the actuator, and a link lever supported by the case so as to be pivotable about a second axis. The link lever is connected to the first end of the cable in the case, and is displaceable by pivoting the operation lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroki Uehara, Yasunori Sahashi, Masaharu Takagi, Masato Fukaya
  • Publication number: 20180148956
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus has a first housing superimposed on a second housing that includes a base wall, a first concave wall projecting from the base wall, an engaging part formed in or on the first concave wall, and an opening that provides a path from the outside into an inner housing chamber. A transmission cable includes an inner cable slidably housed in an outer cable. A portion of the inner cable is exposed from a first end of the outer cable, passes through the opening, and is coupled to a rotatable element disposed in the inner housing chamber via a linkage. A casing cap that surrounds an end of the outer cable has a contact part that contacts the first concave wall in a second direction and an engaged part that engages with the engaging part in the second direction when the contact part contacts the first concave wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20180080262
    Abstract: In a vehicle door lock apparatus, when disposed in an unlocking position, a second lever enables a fork to be displaced to an unlatched position and, in a locking position, it disables the fork from being displaced to the unlatched position. Third levers displace the second lever from the locking position to the unlocking position in response to an unlocking operation being performed on a lock operator and displace the second lever from the unlocking position to the locking position in response to a locking operation being performed on the lock operator. In an unblocking position, a fourth lever linked to the fork separates from the second lever. In a blocking position, the fourth lever contacts the second lever and blocks it from being displaced to the locking position. A fifth lever is linked with the fourth lever, detects the position of the fork, and disconnects or connects a switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20180073282
    Abstract: In a vehicle door lock apparatus, first to third attachment holes are formed in a base plate. The first attachment hole is located closer to an entrance of an entry opening than a fork axis in a vehicle inward-outward direction and is located on a first side (fork axis side) of the entry opening in an up-down direction. The second attachment hole is located closer to the entrance than the fork axis in the vehicle inward-outward direction and is located on a second side (pawl axis side) of the entry opening in the up-down direction. The third attachment hole is located between a base of the entry opening and the fork axis in the vehicle inward-outward direction and is also located on the second side (the pawl axis side) of the entry opening in the up-down direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Publication date: March 15, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20180023327
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes a housing, a fork, a pawl, a first lever displaceably provided in the housing such that the first lever can act on the pawl, and a second lever pivotably provided in the housing. One end of the second lever has a linkage coupled to a lower end of a transmission rod, which is coupled to an exterior door handle. The second lever pivots in response to an opening operation being performed on the exterior door handle and acts on the first lever. A plane of rotation contains an arcuate trajectory traced by the linkage when it pivots in response to the opening operation being performed, and is located farther in a frontward direction of a vehicle frame than a fixing surface. The plane of rotation is inclined relative to a plane containing the fixing surface, and intersects this plane in the vehicle downward direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20180023325
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes housings respectively having a housing chamber and a latch chamber formed therein, a latch mechanism housed in the latch chamber and being configured to retain a door closed with respect to a vehicle frame, and an actuating mechanism housed in the housing chamber for actuating the latch mechanism. A first and a second switch are housed in one of the latch chamber and the housing chamber, and respectively detect states of the actuating mechanism and the latch mechanism. A plurality of terminals is arranged in a first row and a second row in the housing. The first switch is connected to terminals in the first row and the second switch is connected to terminals in the second row such that the plurality of terminals is sandwiched by the first switch and the second switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20180016820
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus (1) includes a latch housing (9), a latch mechanism (8), an actuating housing (7), and an actuating mechanism (6). The actuating housing (7) includes a first housing (70) made of resin joined to a second housing (80) made of resin, thereby forming a housing chamber (7A). The first housing (70) includes at least one projection (75P, 75Q, 75R, and 75S) that extends toward the second housing (80) from a proximal end (75A) to a distal end (75B). The second housing 80 includes at least one receptacle (85P, 85Q, 85R, and 85S) having a contact part (85A) welded to the distal end (75B).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventors: Masaharu TAKAGI, Satoshi YAMAJI
  • Publication number: 20170151899
    Abstract: A cable apparatus is disposed between a handle and an actuator to transmit movement of the handle to the actuator. The handle includes a handle housing defining a housing chamber and an operation lever supported by the handle housing so as to be pivotable about a first axis. The cable apparatus includes a case housed in the housing chamber, a cable having a first end disposed in the case and a second end connected to the actuator, and a link lever supported by the case so as to be pivotable about a second axis. The link lever is connected to the first end of the cable in the case, and is displaceable by pivoting the operation lever.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Inventors: Hiroki UEHARA, Yasunori SAHASHI, Masaharu TAKAGI, Masato FUKAYA
  • Patent number: 9631404
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes a housing, a fork in the housing, a pawl selectively preventing pivoting movement of the fork, a first lever having one end coupleable to a door handle and a second lever pivotably supported at a second end of the first lever and shiftable from a first position to a second position by application of inertial force. When the first lever pivots and the second lever is in the first position the second lever comes into contact with the pawl and releases the fork and when the second lever is in the second position it moves with the first lever independently of the pawl. A third lever selectively places the second lever in the second position and a retention device prevents the second lever from moving the pawl when first lever moves and the third lever is holding the second lever in the second position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2017
    Assignee: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Publication number: 20140346786
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock apparatus includes a housing, a fork in the housing, a pawl selectively preventing pivoting movement of the fork, a first lever having one end coupleable to a door handle and a second lever pivotably supported at a second end of the first lever and shiftable from a first position to a second position by application of inertial force. When the first lever pivots and the second lever is in the first position the second lever comes into contact with the pawl and releases the fork and when the second lever is in the second position it moves with the first lever independently of the pawl. A third lever selectively places the second lever in the second position and a retention device prevents the second lever from moving the pawl when first lever moves and the third lever is holding the second lever in the second position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Publication date: November 27, 2014
    Applicant: ANSEI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji
  • Patent number: 8764077
    Abstract: A switching lever of a vehicle door lock device includes a lever main body, an inertial lever having a mass body pivotably disposed on the lever main body so as to be pivotable from its initial position about a pivot, and a torsion coil spring disposed between the lever main body and the inertial lever and biasing the inertial lever towards its initial position. If the inertial lever is disposed in its initial position and is displaced integrally with the lever main body, the inertial lever will press a pawl, thereby causing a fork to switch to an unlocked position. However, if an inertial force greater than a pre-determined value acts on the mass body, the inertial lever will pivot from its initial position in a direction opposite of the interial force and avoid pressing the pawl, such that the fork is maintained in a locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Ansei Corporation
    Inventors: Masaharu Takagi, Satoshi Yamaji