Patents by Inventor Mikihito Kojima

Mikihito Kojima 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: 20090079239
    Abstract: There is disclosed a passenger's weight measurement device for a vehicle seat, capable of suppressing generation of an initial load. The passenger's weight measurement device includes an upper rail disposed to be movable back and forth on a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor; a load sensor fixed on the upper rail; and a frame disposed on the load sensor and below a vehicle seat, wherein a rod extends from the load sensor to penetrate the frame and to be inserted into an insertion hole formed in a center of a leaf spring, the leaf spring is curved into an angle shape to separate the center of the leaf spring from the frame, a nut is engaged with the rod on the leaf spring, and both hems of the leaf spring abut on the frame in a state that the leaf spring is fastened by the nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicants: TS TECH CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato, Harutomi Nishide, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Takashi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 7455343
    Abstract: There is disclosed a passenger's weight measurement device for a vehicle seat, capable of suppressing generation of an initial load. The passenger's weight measurement device includes an upper rail disposed to be movable back and forth on a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor; a load sensor fixed on the upper rail; and a frame disposed on the load sensor and below a vehicle seat, wherein a rod extends from the load sensor to penetrate the frame and to be inserted into an insertion hole formed in a center of a leaf spring, the leaf spring is curved into an angle shape to separate the center of the leaf spring from the frame, a nut is engaged with the rod on the leaf spring, and both hems of the leaf spring abut on the frame in a state that the leaf spring is fastened by the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2008
    Assignees: TS Tech Co., Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato, Harutomi Nishide, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Takashi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 7427720
    Abstract: A seat-weight sensor includes a load cell having a load sensor arranged therein and a support for holding a support shaft of the load cell. The support includes a convex portion to hold the support shaft and a pair of flange portions arranged at both sides of the convex portion and fixed to a vehicle floor side. The support has a pair of slots arranged at a perimeter of the convex portion and for reducing a physical effect that the pair of flanges provides to the convex portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2008
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Furukawa, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Harutomi Nishide, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Nobuhiro Koyota, Seiji Takaya, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku
  • Patent number: 7373846
    Abstract: This load cell attachment structure includes a male screw which is formed on a load sensing part of the load cell, a nut which attaches the load cell to the attachment plate by engaging with the male screw, and a wave washer which is disposed between the attachment plate and the nut.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., TS Tech Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Furukawa, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Toyohiko Shindo, Harutomi Nishide, Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato
  • Publication number: 20080053798
    Abstract: A thin, film-form seating switch able to detect whether an occupant sits on the seat or not, wherein, with a spacer (5) in-between, a film-form substrate (3) is disposed on one surface of the spacer and a film-form member (7) on the other surface, a first conductor (13) equipped with a first terminal (9) and a first electrode (11A) conductive with this and a second conductor (19) equipped with a second terminal (15) and a second electrode (17A) conductive with this are fixed to one surface of the film-form substrate, and a third conductor (21A) for letting the first electrode conduct with the second electrode when an occupant is seated is fixed to the film-form member (7). The above arrangement solves a conventional problem that it is troublesome to connect the connection terminals of wires or the like provided on a wiring harness or the like to respective terminals that are separately provided on a film-form substrate and a film-form member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2007
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicants: FUJIKURA LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Tetsuya KAWAHIRA, Takahiro ISHII, Mikihito KOJIMA, Toyohiko SHINDO, Naotaka KUMAKIRI, Masashi YOSHIFUKU, Takashi FURUKAWA, Nobuhiro KOYOTA, Tsutomu TERASAKI
  • Patent number: 7304256
    Abstract: A thin, film-form seating switch able to detect whether an occupant sits on the seat or not, wherein, with a spacer (5) in-between, a film-form substrate (3) is disposed on one surface of the spacer and a film-form member (7) on the other surface, a first conductor (13) equipped with a first terminal (9) and a first electrode (11A) conductive with this and a second conductor (19) equipped with a second terminal (15) and a second electrode (17A) conductive with this are fixed to one surface of the film-form substrate, and a third conductor (21A) for letting the first electrode conduct with the second electrode when an occupant is seated is fixed to the film-form member (7). The above arrangement solves a conventional problem that it is troublesome to connect the connection terminals of wires or the like provided on a wiring harness or the like to respective terminals that are separately provided on a film-form substrate and a film-form member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignees: Fujikura Ltd., Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Kawahira, Takahiro Ishii, Mikihito Kojima, Toyohiko Shindo, Naotaka Kumakiri, Masashi Yoshifuku, Takashi Furukawa, Nobuhiro Koyota, Tsutomu Terasaki
  • Publication number: 20070057527
    Abstract: There is disclosed a passenger's weight measurement device for a vehicle seat, capable of suppressing generation of an initial load. The passenger's weight measurement device includes an upper rail disposed to be movable back and forth on a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor; a load sensor fixed on the upper rail; and a frame disposed on the load sensor and below a vehicle seat, wherein a rod extends from the load sensor to penetrate the frame and to be inserted into an insertion hole formed in a center of a leaf spring, the leaf spring is curved into an angle shape to separate the center of the leaf spring from the frame, a nut is engaged with the rod on the leaf spring, and both hems of the leaf spring abut on the frame in a state that the leaf spring is fastened by the nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicants: TS TECH CO., LTD., HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shigeru Endo, Kenji Sato, Harutomi Nishide, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Takashi Furukawa
  • Patent number: 7162344
    Abstract: An occupant detection system includes: a front weight sensor group formed from two weight sensors that are connected in series and arranged to the left and right on an upper face of a seat cushion; and a rear weight sensor group formed from two weight sensors that are connected in series and arranged to the left and right on the upper face of the seat cushion. The weight sensor groups are connected in parallel to each other. Regardless of whether an occupant sits on a front or rear part of a seat, since the load of the buttocks always acts on both left and right sides of the seat cushion, two series-connected left and right weight sensors of at least one of the plurality of weight sensor groups are both turned on without fail, thereby reliably detecting the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Toyohiko Shindo, Nobuhiro Koyota, Naotaka Kumakiri
  • Publication number: 20070001832
    Abstract: A seat-weight sensor includes a load cell having a load sensor arranged therein and a support for holding a support shaft of the load cell. The support includes a convex portion to hold the support shaft and a pair of flange portions arranged at both sides of the convex portion and fixed to a vehicle floor side. The support has a pair of slots arranged at a perimeter of the convex portion and for reducing a physical effect that the pair of flanges provides to the convex portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2006
    Publication date: January 4, 2007
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takashi Furukawa, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Harutomi Nishide, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Nobuhiro Koyota, Seiji Takaya, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku
  • Patent number: 7156198
    Abstract: An attaching structure for a seatbelt apparatus of a vehicle equipped with a seat, which is supported by a vehicle body through a weight sensor. The seatbelt apparatus includes a buckle, a seatbelt, and a tang. The buckle is fixed to one side of the seat of the vehicle. One end of the seatbelt is fixed at the vehicle so that it allows a length adjustment of the seatbelt, and the other end of the seatbelt is connected to an anchor that is fixed to the other side of the seat. The tang is provided at the seatbelt and is engaged with the buckle so as to hold an occupant to the seat. Here, the anchor and the buckle are fixed at a position higher than the weight sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harutomi Nishide, Mikihito Kojima, Makoto Nagai, Kazutomo Isonaga
  • Patent number: 7091426
    Abstract: In an occupant weight detection system, a pair of weight detection units are mounted along upper faces of base members fixed to a floor of an automobile. A square-frame-shaped linking member made of an iron sheet is interposed between the pair of weight detection units and a pair of seat rails. The pair of weight detection units are integrally linked by the linking member to maintain a positional relationship to each other at a predetermined relationship. Therefore, it is possible to prevent these weight detection means from being mounted in a state in which they are twisted or displaced relative to each other, thereby maintaining the detection accuracy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Makoto Nagai, Mikihito Kojima
  • Patent number: 7063352
    Abstract: A side airbag system has a side airbag unit, a posture detector, a weight detector, and a deployment controller. The side airbag unit includes an airbag to be deployed with respect to the sideward direction of the occupant sitting on a vehicle seat. The posture detector determines the posture of the occupant. The weight detector measures the weight of the occupant. The deployment controller controls the deployment of the airbag based on the posture checked by the posture detector and weight measured by the weight detector of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naotaka Kumakiri, Toyohiko Shindo, Mikihito Kojima, Takashi Yanagihara, Makoto Nagai
  • Publication number: 20060048582
    Abstract: This load cell attachment structure includes a male screw which is formed on a load sensing part of the load cell, a nut which attaches the load cell to the attachment plate by engaging with the male screw, and a wave washer which is disposed between the attachment plate and the nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Furukawa, Naotaka Kumakiri, Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Tatsuya Yamazaki, Toyohiko Shindo, Harutomi Nishide
  • Patent number: 6928889
    Abstract: An occupant detection system, includes a sensor, a controller, a base frame, and a heat insulator. In this occupant detection system, the sensor measures a weight of an occupant sitting on the vehicle seat. The controller detects a presence of the occupant on the vehicle seat. The base frame is fixed to one of a vehicle seat or a vehicle body and accommodates the sensor. The heat insulator is provided on the base frame and prevents a heat transfer between the base frame and the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikihito Kojima, Kazutomo Isonaga, Harutomi Nishide, Nobuhiro Koyota, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Mitsugu Tosa, Makoto Nagai
  • Patent number: 6921108
    Abstract: Four load sensors having an upper limit value in a detection range are mounted in a seat of a vehicle. The weight of an occupant sitting on the seat is detected as a total of outputs from the load sensors. When the detected weight of the occupant is equal or larger than a predetermined value, the deployment of the air bag is permitted, and when the detected weight of the occupant is smaller than the predetermined value, the deployment of the air bag is prohibited. When any one of the outputs from the plurality of load sensors is the upper limit value in the detection range, the deployment of the air bag is permitted irrespective of the detected weight of the occupant. Thus, even when the output from the load sensor has been modified to the upper limit value by a limiting process, so that the weight of the occupant is calculated as a value smaller than an actual weight to become smaller than the predetermined value, the air bag can be deployed reliably to restrain the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikihito Kojima, Toyohiko Shindo, Makoto Nagai
  • Publication number: 20050140210
    Abstract: An occupant detection system includes: a front weight sensor group formed from two weight sensors that are connected in series and arranged to the left and right on an upper face of a seat cushion; and a rear weight sensor group formed from two weight sensors that are connected in series and arranged to the left and right on the upper face of the seat cushion. The weight sensor groups are connected in parallel to each other. Regardless of whether an occupant sits on a front or rear part of a seat, since the load of the buttocks always acts on both left and right sides of the seat cushion, two series-connected left and right weight sensors of at least one of the plurality of weight sensor groups are both turned on without fail, thereby reliably detecting the occupant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2004
    Publication date: June 30, 2005
    Applicant: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mikihito Kojima, Masashi Yoshifuku, Toyohiko Shindo, Nobuhiro Koyota, Naotaka Kumakiri
  • Publication number: 20040238231
    Abstract: In an occupant weight detection system, a pair of weight detection units are mounted along upper faces of base members fixed to a floor of an automobile. A square-frame-shaped linking member made of an iron sheet is interposed between the pair of weight detection units and a pair of seat rails. The pair of weight detection units are integrally linked by the linking member to maintain a positional relationship to each other at a predetermined relationship. Therefore, it is possible to prevent these weight detection means from being mounted in a state in which they are twisted or displaced relative to each other, thereby maintaining the detection accuracy.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Makoto Nagai, Mikihito Kojima
  • Patent number: 6798196
    Abstract: A sliding seat position detection system includes a sensor provided on a seat that can slide on a floor of a vehicle, and a magnetic shielding member provided on the floor. The detection system detects that the seat is at a front end position when the shielding member provides a shield between a permanent magnet and a magnetism detection part of the sensor. A non-magnetic cover member is attached to the shielding member. When the seat is at a position other than the front end position, the cover member is positioned between the permanent magnet and the magnetism detection part of the sensor, thereby preventing erroneous detection due to magnetic foreign matter and other magnetic substances caught in or attached to the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mikihito Kojima, Toyohiko Shindo, Makoto Nagai
  • Publication number: 20040145165
    Abstract: An air bag deployment control system, comprises a weight sensor which detects weight of an occupant sitting on a seat of a vehicle, and a controller which switches between deployment and non-deployment modes of an air bag based on the occupant weight detected by the weight sensor. The controller switches to the deployment mode permitting deployment of the air bag when the detected weight of the occupant is equal to or larger than a first threshold value, and switches to the non-deployment mode prohibiting deployment of the air bag when the detected weight of the occupant is smaller than a second threshold value. The second threshold value for switching from the deployment mode to the non-deployment mode is set smaller than the first threshold value for switching from the non-deployment mode to the deployment mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nagai, Toyohiko Shindo, Mikihito Kojima
  • Publication number: 20040041389
    Abstract: An attaching structure for a seatbelt apparatus of a vehicle equipped with a seat, which is supported by a vehicle body through a weight sensor. The seatbelt apparatus includes a buckle, a seatbelt, and a tang. The buckle is fixed to one side of the seat of the vehicle. One end of the seatbelt is fixed at the vehicle so that it allows a length adjustment of the seatbelt, and the other end of the seatbelt is connected to an anchor that is fixed to the other side of the seat. The tang is provided at the seatbelt and is engaged with the buckle so as to hold an occupant to the seat. Here, the anchor and the buckle are fixed at the position higher than the weight sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Harutomi Nishide, Mikihito Kojima, Makoto Nagai, Kazutomo Isonaga