Patents by Inventor Masamitsu Iwatani
Masamitsu Iwatani 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).
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Patent number: 7399035Abstract: The present invention provides a mechanism that can release the rotation lock mechanism without using an actuator. In the present vehicle seat, a nut (73) is moved upon rotation of a screw shaft (72) so that the seat body is moved in the lateral direction of the vehicle. When the nut (73) is moved by a desired distance, a guide roller (69) is pushed so that an operation arm (66) is moved parallel with the guide roller. As a result, a lock plate (64) is rotated in an unlock direction so that a claw (64a) is disengaged from a striker (61).Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2003Date of Patent: July 15, 2008Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Kusanagi, Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani
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Patent number: 7316441Abstract: It is one object of this invention to provide a technique that is effective in diminishing the range of fluctuation of a load applied to a drive source when a seat main body in a vehicle seat moving apparatus is moved between a raised position and a lowered position. For this purpose, this invention provides a vehicle seat moving apparatus constructed as follows. Provided on a rotation base 31, for rotating a seat main body 10 between a position where it faces the front side of the vehicle and a position where it faces a door opening, is a widthwise slide base 41 that moves horizontally in the vehicle width direction while the seat main body 10 faces the door opening. The seat main body 10 is supported by the slide base 41 via four-bar linkage mechanisms 44. Guide rollers 46 are attached to upper link arms 44a of the four-bar linkage mechanisms 44. The guide rollers 46 are placed on cam surfaces of cam plates 47 provided to the rotation base 31.Type: GrantFiled: August 8, 2003Date of Patent: January 8, 2008Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafuki Hijikata, Chikanori Fujita, Yasuo Suga, Yoshiyuki Miura, Kenji Horiguchi, Kenji Murabayashi, Susumu Yamada
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Patent number: 7267317Abstract: A slide device, comprising first class members having spaces opening to sides formed in the longitudinal directions thereof and second class rail members positioned in the spaces, wherein either of the first and second class rail members movable relative to each other are formed in movable rail members and the other are formed in fixed rail members, the movable rail members are installed at both side parts of slide plates, the slide plates are positioned on brackets parallel with each other, and the movable rail member installed on the slide plate is supported by the fixed rail member installed on the slide plate.Type: GrantFiled: September 13, 2002Date of Patent: September 11, 2007Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hisayoshi Kato, Kazuyuki Taniguchi, Masamitsu Iwatani, Yoshiyuki Miura
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Publication number: 20060255640Abstract: In a vehicle seat that can rotate a seat body between a position where it faces the front side of a vehicle and a position where it faces a door opening and can move the seat body in the lateral direction of the vehicle, an actuator such as an electric motor is conventionally used in order to release a rotation lock mechanism for rotationally locking the seat body. This resulted in high costs. Further, it was necessary to provide a space for providing the cable or the like. As a result, it was difficult to reduce in size of the vehicle seat. The present invention provides a mechanism that can release the rotation lock mechanism without using an actuator. In the present vehicle seat, a nut (73) is moved upon rotation of a screw shaft (72) so that the seat body is moved in the lateral direction of the vehicle. When the nut (73) is moved by a desired distance, a guide roller (69) is pushed so that an operation arm (66) is moved parallel with the guide roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2003Publication date: November 16, 2006Inventors: Hiroki Kusanagi, Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani
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Publication number: 20060131943Abstract: It is one object of this invention to provide a technique that is effective in diminishing the range of fluctuation of a load applied to a drive source when a seat main body in a vehicle seat moving apparatus is moved between a raised position and a lowered position. For this purpose, this invention provides a vehicle seat moving apparatus constructed as follows. Provided on a rotation base 31, for rotating a seat main body 10 between a position where it faces the front side of the vehicle and a position where it faces a door opening, is a widthwise slide base 41 that moves horizontally in the vehicle width direction while the seat main body 10 faces the door opening. The seat main body 10 is supported by the slide base 41 via four-bar linkage mechanisms 44. Guide rollers 46 are attached to upper link arms 44a of the four-bar linkage mechanisms 44. The guide rollers 46 are placed on cam surfaces of cam plates 47 provided to the rotation base 31.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 8, 2003Publication date: June 22, 2006Inventors: Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafuki Hijikata, Chikanori Fujita, Yasuo Suga, Yoshiyuki Miura, Kenji Horiguchi, Kenji Murabayashi, Susumu Yamada
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Publication number: 20050017551Abstract: A slide device, comprising first class members having spaces opening to sides formed in the longitudinal directions thereof and second class rail members positioned in the spaces, wherein either of the first and second class rail members movable relative to each other are formed in movable rail members and the other are formed in fixed rail members, the movable rail members are installed at both side parts of slide plates, the slide plates are positioned on brackets parallel with each other, and the movable rail member installed on the slide plate is supported by the fixed rail member installed on the slide plate.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 13, 2002Publication date: January 27, 2005Inventors: Hisayoshi Kato, Kazuyuki Taniguchi, Masamitsu Iwatani, Yoshiyuki Miura
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Patent number: 6582181Abstract: A lift-up mechanism (50, 150) installed inside a vehicle serves to move a seat unit (10, 110) into or out of the vehicle. The seat unit (10, 110) is used as a passenger seat inside the vehicle and as a wheelchair outside the vehicle. Connecting plates (56, 156) are disposed on the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) permit the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) to be connected to the seat unit (10, 110) by inserting the connecting plates into connecting recesses (40, 140) formed in the seat unit (10, 110). Front wheels (60, 160) and rear wheels (70, 170) of the seat unit (10, 110) can be retracted and extended. A drive unit having an electric motor or similar drive may be provided to retract and extend the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170). An attitude changing arrangement may be provided to automatically change the attitude of the front wheels (60, 160) when the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170) are retracted.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2002Date of Patent: June 24, 2003Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Matsunaga SeisakushoInventors: Yoshiro Suehiro, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Kenji Murabayashi, Mineki Ninomiya, Yoshiyuki Miura, Tomoyuki Kuroda, Takeshi Toda, Shigeyuki Matsunaga
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Patent number: 6572172Abstract: A longitudinal support base 30 is provided with a rotating support base 10 that can be slide in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. A seat body is placed on the rotating support base 10 via a rotary disc 13 so as to rotate. The longitudinal support base 30 is provided with an intermediate gear 22 that is engaged with a rack 21 extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle seat. The seat body 2 side is provided with a pinion gear 24 that is engaged with the intermediate gear 11. The rotary disc 13 is rotated by means of a driving force of an electric motor 41. Thus, when the electric motor 41 is rotated, the seat body 2 rotates and slides in the longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: September 10, 1999Date of Patent: June 3, 2003Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Mineki Ninomiya, Masamitsu Iwatani, Yoshiyuki Miura, Kenji Murabayashi, Tomoyuki Kuroda, Masanori Iwao, Takafumi Hijikata, Yasuo Suga, Takayuki Tajima, Tadashi Takenoshita, Yoshiro Suehiro
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Patent number: 6557919Abstract: With respect to a rotating seat for a vehicle, for example, for the elderly or the handicapped, the known art requires two operations of moving a seat body forward and rotating it to a door opening, and is thus poor in usability. Further, if the seat is positioned to the front such that the seat can be rotated at that position, the space close to occupant's feet is sacrificed. It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a rotating vehicle seat having excellent usability without sacrificing the space close to occupant's feet. A rotating vehicle seat of the present invention includes a rotating support base 10 for rotatably supporting a seat body 2, a longitudinal support base for supporting and moving the rotating support base in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and a coupling arrangement means 6, 38 disposed between the seat body 2 and the longitudinal support base for coupling the rotational movement and the longitudinal movement of the seat body.Type: GrantFiled: February 20, 2001Date of Patent: May 6, 2003Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Tadashi Takenoshita, Yoshiyuki Miura, Mineki Tanaka
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Patent number: 6543848Abstract: A rotating vehicle seat allows space close to an occupant's feet to be used efficiently. The rotating seat has a seat body 2 supported by a rotary disc 13. The rotary disc 13 is mounted at a position that is displaced to a door opening side with respect to a center HP of a seat cushion. A pinion gear 6, an intermediate gear 36 and a rack 38 engage each other so that the rotational movement and the longitudinal movement of the seat body 2 are coupled to each other.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2000Date of Patent: April 8, 2003Assignee: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani, Hiroyuki Kagei, Takafumi Hijikata, Tadashi Takenoshita, Yoshiro Suehiro, Chikanori Fujita, Shoichi Uda, Yoshiyuki Miura, Kenji Murabayashi, Masanori Iwao
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Publication number: 20020094262Abstract: A lift-up mechanism (50, 150) installed inside a vehicle serves to move a seat unit (10, 110) into or out of the vehicle. The seat unit (10, 110) is used as a passenger seat inside the vehicle and as a wheelchair outside the vehicle. Connecting plates (56, 156) are disposed on the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) permit the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) to be connected to the seat unit (10, 110) by inserting the connecting plates into connecting recesses (40, 140) formed in the seat unit (10, 110). Front wheels (60, 160) and rear wheels (70, 170) of the seat unit (10, 110) can be retracted and extended. A drive unit having an electric motor or similar drive may be provided to retract and extend the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170). An attitude changing arrangement may be provided to automatically chance the attitude of the front wheels (60, 160) when the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170) are retracted.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2002Publication date: July 18, 2002Applicant: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshiro Suehiro, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Kenji Murabayashi, Mineki Ninomiya, Yoshiyuki Miura, Tomoyuki Kuroda, Takeshi Toda, Shigeyuki Matsunaga
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Patent number: 6416272Abstract: A lift-up mechanism (50, 150) installed inside a vehicle serves to move a seat unit (10, 110) into or out of the vehicle. The seat unit (10, 110) is used as a passenger seat inside the vehicle and as a wheelchair outside the vehicle. Connecting plates (56, 156) are disposed on the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) permit the lift-up mechanism (50, 150) to be connected to the seat unit (10, 110) by inserting the connecting plates into connecting recesses (40, 140) formed in the seat unit (10, 110). Front wheels (60, 160) and rear wheels (70, 170) of the seat unit (10, 110) can be retracted and extended. A drive unit having an electric motor or similar drive may be provided to retract and extend the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170). An attitude changing arrangement may be provided to automatically change the attitude of the front wheels (60, 160) when the front wheels (60, 160) and the rear wheels (70, 170) are retracted.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 1999Date of Patent: July 9, 2002Assignees: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Matsunaga SeisakushoInventors: Yoshiro Suehiro, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Kenji Murabayashi, Mineki Ninomiya, Yoshiyuki Miura, Tomoyuki Kuroda, Takeshi Toda, Shigeyuki Matsunaga
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Publication number: 20010038223Abstract: With respect to a rotating seat for a vehicle, for example, for the elderly or the handicapped, the known art requires two operations of moving a seat body forward and rotating it to a door opening, and is thus poor in usability. Further, if the seat is positioned to the front such that the seat can be rotated at that position, the space close to occupant's feet is sacrificed. It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide a rotating vehicle seat having excellent usability without sacrificing the space close to occupant's feet. A rotating vehicle seat of the present invention includes a rotating support base 10 for rotatably supporting a seat body 2, a longitudinal support base for supporting and moving the rotating support base in a longitudinal direction of a vehicle, and coupling means 6, 38 disposed between the seat body 2 and the longitudinal support base for coupling the rotational movement and the longitudinal movement of the seat body.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 20, 2001Publication date: November 8, 2001Applicant: Toyota Shatai Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yasuo Suga, Masamitsu Iwatani, Takafumi Hijikata, Tadashi Takenoshita, Yoshiyuki Miura, Mineki Tanaka
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Patent number: 5673767Abstract: A low profile cab-front-engine truck is converted by utilizing a normal chassis frame and a normal cab designed for a cab-over-engine truck in which an engine is arranged adjacent to a front axle and in which the cab is arranged over the engine. The cab is shifted to a front lower position in front of the engine. The low profile truck includes a frame extension provided on the forward end portion of the chassis frame, a front mount provided on the frame extension, and a rear mount provided on the frame extension or the chassis frame. The cab is supported at the front lower position by the front and rear mounts.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 1995Date of Patent: October 7, 1997Assignee: Toyota Auto Body Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshihiko Uno, Yuji Aoyagi, Masamitsu Iwatani, Tadashi Takenoshita