Patents by Inventor Masanari Iwata

Masanari Iwata 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: 11585126
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock structure includes: a housing; an active lever supported by the housing to be displaceable relative to the housing between locked position where the active lever prohibits opening of a vehicle door by a door opening operation of a door operation handle provided on the vehicle door and an unlocked position where the active lever allows the opening of the vehicle door by the door opening operation of the door operation handle; and a spring configured to selectively hold the active lever at either the locked or unlocked position. The housing includes a held portion held by the spring. The spring includes: locked-position and unlocked-position holders respectively holding the held portion such that the active lever is held at the locked and unlocked positions. The active lever includes a spring holder that holds the spring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2023
    Assignee: AISIN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yusuke Yamada, Masanari Iwata, Yoshiki Odaka
  • Publication number: 20200190868
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock structure includes: a housing; an active lever supported by the housing to be displaceable relative to the housing between locked position where the active lever prohibits opening of a vehicle door by a door opening operation of a door operation handle provided on the vehicle door and an unlocked position where the active lever allows the opening of the vehicle door by the door opening operation of the door operation handle; and a spring configured to selectively hold the active lever at either the locked or unlocked position. The housing includes a held portion held by the spring. The spring includes: locked-position and unlocked-position holders respectively holding the held portion such that the active lever is held at the locked and unlocked positions. The active lever includes a spring holder that holds the spring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2019
    Publication date: June 18, 2020
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke YAMADA, Masanari IWATA, Yoshiki ODAKA
  • Publication number: 20200087953
    Abstract: A door lock apparatus for vehicle includes a first electric circuit, a second electric circuit, and a positioning member. The first electric circuit includes first electric conductive plates formed with terminals connected to an electrical component. The first electric circuit also includes a first support member extending over terminals of the first electric conductive plates, the first support member supporting terminals of the first electric conductive plates. The second electric circuit includes second electric conductive plates formed with terminals connected to an electrical component. The second electric circuit also includes a second support member extending over terminals of the second electric conductive plates, the second support member supporting terminals of the second electric conductive plates. The positioning member determines positions of the first support member and the second support member, and is commonly used for the first support member and the second support member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki ODAKA, Masanari IWATA, Kyoji HIRONO, Atsushi YAMAGUCHI
  • Patent number: 10533349
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a door lock body configured to be mounted to a door; an outside open lever mounted, in a pivotable manner, to a support shaft arranged on the door lock body; and a coupling member mounted to a pivot end portion of the outside open lever and having an insertion hole. An end portion of a rod on the outside open lever side is insertable through the insertion hole. The rod is configured to couple the outside open lever and an outside door handle configured to be mounted to a vehicle exterior side of the door. A mounting hole in the coupling member intersects the insertion hole, and the pivot end portion of the outside open lever has a mounting portion. The coupling member is fitted and fixed onto the mounting portion of the outside open lever through the mounting hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Suzumura, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Takasu, Yasuhiko Sono, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 10060165
    Abstract: A door lock device has a high degree of freedom in the disposition of an open link for switching between a locked state and an unlocked state and has low operational resistance when being put into the locked state. When there is a malfunction in which the open link is jammed by the dust and therefore does not move from a lock waiting position to an unlock waiting position even when an unlock action is performed, when an outside handle interlock lever is turned, a sliding-contact tilt guide provided on a support body slides and makes sliding-contact with the open link and forcibly tilts the open link, and as a result, it becomes unnecessary to increase an energizing force of a torsion coil spring as a precaution against such malfunction. This makes it possible to reduce the operational resistance when the door lock device is put into the locked state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Takeshi Tada, Yasuhiko Sono, Masashi Taniyama, Yusuke Kojima, Atsushi Katsurayama, Takashi Nishio, Kazunori Kojima, Masanari Iwata, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9834962
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a housing having an opening; a coupling member configured to be coupled to an operation mechanism arranged on a door; an operation lever arranged inside the housing and coupled to the coupling member through the opening; and a cover capable of opening and closing the opening and a coupling point between the coupling member and the operation lever. The cover is separate from the housing and assembled to the housing to be mountable on and demountable from the housing and rotatable between opened and closed states. Each of the housing and the cover includes: a temporary retaining mechanism to temporarily retain the cover in the opened state when the cover is assembled to the housing in a rotatable manner; and a full retaining mechanism configured to retain the cover in the closed state when the cover is rotatably assembled to the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN KEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Suzumura, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Takasu, Yasuhiko Sono, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9791885
    Abstract: A position holding device for a rotating lever includes a rotating lever and a torsion spring. The rotating lever is elastically held at two positions, that is, a first position and a second position. The torsion spring includes a coiled part, and a first arm part and a second arm part each extending from the coiled part. The first arm part has a mountain portion formed thereon, and the second arm part has a reversely urging portion formed thereon. An urging force of the reversely urging portion is applied to the rotating lever as a braking force against an urging force of the mountain portion. Further, a regulating member is formed on a base member so as to abut against the first arm part when the rotating lever rotates toward the first position through a neutral position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Suzumura, Takashi Nishio, Yasuhiko Sono, Kazunori Kojima, Masanari Iwata, Satoshi Fukuchi, Yusuke Yamada
  • Patent number: 9534426
    Abstract: A child protector mechanism includes a base member, a first lever, a second lever, a bush arranged between the first lever and the second lever, a child protector lever for moving the bush to an unset position or a set position, and a position retaining mechanism provided between the first lever and the bush. The bush is retained at each of the unset position and the set position by the position retaining mechanism provided between the first lever and the bush. Therefore, when assembling the bush and the first lever to the base member, the bush is retained at a predetermined position (for example, unset position) with respect to the first lever so that the bush does not move. Thus, the easiness of assembly of the bush and the first lever and the easiness of assembly of the child protector lever are excellent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryujiro Akizuki, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono
  • Patent number: 9376843
    Abstract: Provided is a position holding device for a rotating lever, which includes a rotating lever and a torsion spring, and is capable of elastically holding the rotating lever at the two positions including a first position and a second position. The torsion spring includes a coiled part, and a first arm part and a second arm part each extending from the coiled part and facing each other across an engagement portion of the rotating lever. The first arm part includes a mountain portion formed at an intermediate portion thereof. The second arm part includes an urging portion. As a result, an urging force generated by the urging portion can be applied to the rotating lever as a braking force against an urging force generated by the mountain portion. Consequently, it is possible to reduce an abutment noise generated when the rotating lever abuts against a stopper member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryujiro Akizuki, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono
  • Publication number: 20150323954
    Abstract: A position holding device for a rotating lever includes a rotating lever and a torsion spring. The rotating lever is elastically held at two positions, that is, a first position and a second position. The torsion spring includes a coiled part, and a first arm part and a second arm part each extending from the coiled part. The first arm part has a mountain portion formed thereon, and the second arm part has a reversely urging portion formed thereon. An urging force of the reversely urging portion is applied to the rotating lever as a braking force against an urging force of the mountain portion. Further, a regulating member is formed on a base member so as to abut against the first arm part when the rotating lever rotates toward the first position through a neutral position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2013
    Publication date: November 12, 2015
    Inventors: Makoto SUZUMURA, Takashi NISHIO, Yasuhiko SONO, Kazunori KOJIMA, Masanari IWATA, Satoshi FUKUCHI, Yusuke YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20150300051
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a door lock body configured to be mounted to a door; an outside open lever mounted, in a pivotable manner, to a support shaft arranged on the door lock body; and a coupling member mounted to a pivot end portion of the outside open lever and having an insertion hole. An end portion of a rod on the outside open lever side is insertable through the insertion hole. The rod is configured to couple the outside open lever and an outside door handle configured to be mounted to a vehicle exterior side of the door. A mounting hole in the coupling member intersects the insertion hole, and the pivot end portion of the outside open lever has a mounting portion. The coupling member is fitted and fixed onto the mounting portion of the outside open lever through the mounting hole.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2013
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto SUZUMURA, Takashi NISHIO, Nobuko TAKASU, Yasuhiko SONO, Masayuki TOMOCHIKA, Masanari IWATA, Yusuke YAMADA
  • Publication number: 20150247347
    Abstract: A vehicle door lock device includes: a housing having an opening; a coupling member configured to be coupled to an operation mechanism arranged on a door; an operation lever arranged inside the housing and coupled to the coupling member through the opening; and a cover capable of opening and closing the opening and a coupling point between the coupling member and the operation lever. The cover is separate from the housing and assembled to the housing to be mountable on and demountable from the housing and rotatable between opened and closed states. Each of the housing and the cover includes: a temporary retaining mechanism to temporarily retain the cover in the opened state when the cover is assembled to the housing in a rotatable manner; and a full retaining mechanism configured to retain the cover in the closed state when the cover is rotatably assembled to the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2013
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto Suzumura, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Takasu, Yasuhiko Sono, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yusuke Yamada
  • Publication number: 20150191945
    Abstract: A door lock device has a high degree of freedom in the disposition of an open link for switching between a locked state and an unlocked state and has low operational resistance when being put into the locked state. When there is a malfunction in which the open link is jammed by dust and therefore does not move from a lock waiting position to an unlock waiting position even when an unlock action is performed, when an outside handle interlock lever is turned, a sliding-contact tilt guide provided on a support body slides and makes sliding-contact with the open link and forcibly tilts the open link, and as a result, it becomes unnecessary to increase an energizing force of a torsion coil spring as a precaution against such malfunction. This makes it possible to reduce the operational resistance when the door lock device is put into the locked state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Publication date: July 9, 2015
    Inventors: Atsushi Yamaguchi, Takeshi Tada, Yasuhiko Sono, Masashi Taniyama, Yusuke Kojima, Atsushi Katsurayama, Takashi Nishio, Kazunori Kojima, Masanari Iwata, Yusuke Yamada
  • Publication number: 20140047874
    Abstract: A child protector mechanism includes a base member, a first lever, a second lever, a bush arranged between the first lever and the second lever, a child protector lever for moving the bush to an unset position or a set position, and a position retaining means provided between the first lever and the bush. The bush is retained at each of the unset position and the set position by the position retaining means provided between the first lever and the bush. Therefore, when assembling the bush and the first lever to the base member, the bush is retained at a predetermined position (for example, unset position) with respect to the first lever so that the bush does not move. Thus, the easiness of assembly of the bush and the first lever and the easiness of assembly of the child protector lever are excellent.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: February 20, 2014
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryujiro Akizuki, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono
  • Publication number: 20140028036
    Abstract: Provided is a position holding device for a rotating lever, which includes a rotating lever and a torsion spring, and is capable of elastically holding the rotating lever at the two positions including a first position and a second position. The torsion spring includes a coiled part, and a first arm part and a second arm part each extending from the coiled part and facing each other across an engagement portion of the rotating lever. The first arm part includes a mountain portion formed at an intermediate portion thereof. The second arm part includes an urging portion. As a result, an urging force generated by the urging portion can be applied to the rotating lever as a braking force against an urging force generated by the mountain portion. Consequently, it is possible to reduce an abutment noise generated when the rotating lever abuts against a stopper member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ryujiro Akizuki, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono
  • Patent number: 8635892
    Abstract: An outside locking lever of a lever mechanism section in a lock mechanism of a vehicle door lock apparatus includes a hub portion being rotatable relative to a housing and having a connection subportion to which an inner end portion of a rod is connected in a torque transmittable manner; an arm portion extending radially outward from the hub portion and linked to an active lever; a hub-side engagement subportion provided on the hub portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a first support portion of the housing; an arm-side engagement subportion provided on the arm portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a second support portion of the housing; and a fragile portion provided between the two engagement portions and being breakable with a force of a predetermined value or greater. A space for allowing breakage at the fragile portion is provided within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Suzumura, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono, Ryujiro Akizuki
  • Publication number: 20120247160
    Abstract: An outside locking lever of a lever mechanism section in a lock mechanism of a vehicle door lock apparatus includes a hub portion being rotatable relative to a housing and having a connection subportion to which an inner end portion of a rod is connected in a torque transmittable manner; an arm portion extending radially outward from the hub portion and linked to an active lever; a hub-side engagement subportion provided on the hub portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a first support portion of the housing; an arm-side engagement subportion provided on the arm portion and engaged in the vehicle interior-exterior direction with a second support portion of the housing; and a fragile portion provided between the two engagement portions and being breakable with a force of a predetermined value or greater. A space for allowing breakage at the fragile portion is provided within the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Makoto SUZUMURA, Takashi Nishio, Nobuko Watanabe, Masayuki Tomochika, Masanari Iwata, Yasuhiko Sono, Ryujiro Akizuki
  • Patent number: 5070800
    Abstract: A cam unit comprising a main cam; a first auxiliary cam provided in contact with the main cam; a second auxiliary cam provided in contact with the first auxiliary cam; a rod provided between the main cam and the second auxiliary cam and having a slenderly shaped hole in which the peripheral portion of the first auxiliary cam is located in contact with the rod so that the rod is swung while being guided by the first auxiliary cam; a motion transmission means secured to the rod and located on the peripheral portion of the main cam so as to move the rod in accordance with the contour of the main cam; a jump prevention means secured to the rod and located on the peripheral portion of the second auxiliary cam so as to prevent the motion transmission means from jumping from the main cam; and a shaft extending through all the cams. A positive cam is constituted by the main cam, the auxiliary cams and the rod without guiding a driven member to straightly move it.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1990
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1991
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanari Iwata
  • Patent number: 4879499
    Abstract: An industrial robot's articulate device comprises: a first arm; a second arm rotatably connected to the first arm; an electric motor for rotating the second arm; a transmission shaft rotatably supported by the first arm for transmitting the output of the electric motor to the second arm; and a detecting mechanism for detecting the position of the second arm with respect to the first arm. The detecting mechanism includes a dog secured to the transmission shaft, a swing lever swingably coupled to the first arm to pose in alternative postures according to the direction of rotation of the dog and a detector for detecting the alternative postures of the swing lever. The detector is constituted by a pair of limit switches, which are provided on both sides of the swing lever to detect the alternative postures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1988
    Date of Patent: November 7, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanari Iwata
  • Patent number: 4864888
    Abstract: An articulated robot joint includes a coupling member 13 having a hollow cylinder 13a rigidly mounted to a lower arm 2 and rotatably journaled to an upper arm 1. An offset crank 13c extends from one end of the cylinder, and has a mounting hub 13d at the end of a radial arm thereof coupled to an axially disposed output shaft of a motor and harmonic drive unit 5, 6. A power/control cable 3 is threaded through the hollow interiors of the arms, and traverses the joint via the hollow cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 1988
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Masanari Iwata