Patents by Inventor Masaki Shimazu

Masaki Shimazu 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: 20170210246
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a seat for an automotive vehicle, including a seat bottom frame, a seat back frame rotatably coupled with the seat bottom frame and a limit switch assembly. The limit switch assembly comprises a limit switch configured to prevent rotation of the seat back when the limit switch is opened, a link moveable from a first position in which the limit switch is closed to a second position in which the limit switch is open, and a bias member configured to impart a bias force on the link in a direction toward the first position. The disclosure also provides a method of reclining the seat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2016
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Inventors: Yuji KUBOTA, Carlington George DEMETRIUS, Masaki SHIMAZU
  • Patent number: 9260041
    Abstract: A locking assembly for a vehicle includes a striker mounted to a first vehicle part movable between a first position and a second position, a ratchet rotatably mounted to a second vehicle part for selectively receiving the striker and locking the first vehicle part in the first position, a pawl rotatably mounted to the second vehicle part for selectively engaging the ratchet to prevent rotation of the ratchet and thereby lock the ratchet and striker together, an anti-rattle lever rotatably mounted to the second vehicle part for engaging the striker to prevent rattling of the ratchet on the striker and a spring mounted to the second vehicle part to urge the anti-rattle lever into engagement with the striker when the ratchet is locked to the striker. The spring is arranged to maintain locking of the ratchet onto the striker in the event that the anti-rattle lever fails.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Raj K. Muddana, Masaki Shimazu, Paul D. Nguyen, Yuji Kubota
  • Patent number: 9216667
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat, a positional deviation of a height device for moving a seat main body up and down is suppressed. The vehicle seat includes a cushion frame serving as a frame of a seating portion; the height device for moving the cushion frame up and down; and a side cover that covers the cushion frame and the height device from outside in a seat width direction. An operation lever is positioned in a state of being engaged with a positioning member contained in an outer side surface of the side cover, and an engagement protrusion of the operation lever moves in an engagement hole of the positioning member and abuts on a first stepped portion and a second stepped portion provided around the engagement hole when the operation lever rotates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignees: TS Tech Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Izawa, Makoto Takeuchi, Akimitsu Kurihara, Masaki Shimazu, Paul D. Nguyen, Terrie Ellison, Ronald C. Cozzo
  • Publication number: 20150266400
    Abstract: A locking assembly for a vehicle includes a striker mounted to a first vehicle part movable between a first position and a second position, a ratchet rotatably mounted to a second vehicle part for selectively receiving the striker and locking the first vehicle part in the first position, a pawl rotatably mounted to the second vehicle part for selectively engaging the ratchet to prevent rotation of the ratchet and thereby lock the ratchet and striker together, an anti-rattle lever rotatably mounted to the second vehicle part for engaging the striker to prevent rattling of the ratchet on the striker and a spring mounted to the second vehicle part to urge the anti-rattle lever into engagement with the striker when the ratchet is locked to the striker. The spring is arranged to maintain locking of the ratchet onto the striker in the event that the anti-rattle lever fails.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Inventors: Raj K. Muddana, Masaki Shimazu, Paul D. Nguyen, Yuji Kubota