Patents by Inventor Mitsunobu Katou

Mitsunobu Katou 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: 8324501
    Abstract: An arm structure includes a first arm pivotally supported on a body, and a second arm pivotally supported on the first arm at an axis portion formed on a distal end side of the first arm. A wire harness fixing portion for fixing a wire harness is provided at a distal end side of the second arm. A guide portion having a curved face for guiding the wire harness is provided at an end portion at an end side of the second arm, the end side being opposite to the distal end side. A width of the guide portion is larger than a width of a portion of the second arm corresponding to the axis portion, in a width direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the second arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoyasu Terada, Tsukasa Sekino, Mitsunobu Katou, Hiroshi Yamashita, Daisuke Okamoto, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8242366
    Abstract: A link arm is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft along a protector base, and urged in a harness-slack-absorbing direction by a torsion coil spring. A wiring harness is fixed to a harness-holding member at a tip end of the link arm and to a harness-fixing portion of the protector base, and routed flexibly between the harness-holding member and the harness-fixing portion via between the protector base and an opposite wall of the link arm opposite to the protector base.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Katou, Hiroshi Yamashita, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8237053
    Abstract: A power supply apparatus for a slidable structure which extends longitudinally, including: a pivotably-supported ring arm; a wiring harness having one end portion fixed to a tip portion of the ring arm and the other end portion fixed to a stationary structure; and an elastic member configured to bias the ring arm in a forward and upward direction. The ring arm is moved or rotated in a backward and downward direction while elastically deforming the elastic member due to tensile force of the wiring harness, when the slidable structure is moved forward toward its fully closed state. Also, the ring arm is moved or rotated in a forward and upward direction due to restoring force of the elastic member, when the slidable structure is moved backward toward its fully open state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Katou, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Patent number: 8227693
    Abstract: A power-supplying system for a sliding structure includes: a protector cover having a base plate and a flange-shaped peripheral wall; a link arm rotatably supported along the base plate in the protector cover, and supporting a wiring harness at a top end side of a rotation; and an elastic member urging the link arm in a harness slack absorbing direction. The power-supplying system is disposed in the sliding structure. The protector cover is fixed to a panel of the sliding structure. An opening of the protector cover facing the base plate at a rear side is covered by the panel. The wiring harness is guided out from an oblong opening interposed between the protector cover and the panel toward a fixing structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Katou, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Patent number: 7980518
    Abstract: A feeding structure for a sliding structural body includes: a protector base arranged in one of the sliding structural body and a stationary structural body; a link arm pivotally supported by a shaft portion of the protector base; a harness holder pivotally connected to an end portion of the link arm; and a wire harness which is laid from one end of the protector base to the harness holder so as to be bent in a substantial S-shape, and laid from the harness holder to the other of the sliding structural body and the stationary structural body so as to be moved therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2011
    Assignees: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu Katou, Tohru Aoki, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20110061895
    Abstract: An arm structure includes a first arm pivotally supported on a body, and a second arm pivotally supported on the first arm at an axis portion formed s on a distal end side of the first arm. A wire harness fixing portion for fixing a wire harness is provided at a distal end side of the second arm. A guide portion having a curved face for guiding the wire harness is provided at an end portion at an end side of the second arm, the end side being opposite to the distal end side. A width of the guide portion is larger than a width of a portion of the second arm corresponding to the axis portion, in a width direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the second arm.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2010
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicants: YAZAKI CORPORATION, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoyasu TERADA, Tsukasa SEKINO, Mitsunobu KATOU, Hiroshi YAMASHITA, Daisuke OKAMOTO, Tomoaki NISHIMURA, Motonari INAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20100243319
    Abstract: A power-supplying system for a sliding structure includes: a protector cover having a base plate and a flange-shaped peripheral wall; a link arm rotatably supported along the base plate in the protector cover, and supporting a wiring harness at a top end side of a rotation; and an elastic member urging the link arm in a harness slack absorbing direction. The power-supplying system is disposed in the sliding structure. The protector cover is fixed to a panel of the sliding structure. An opening of the protector cover facing the base plate at a rear side is covered by the panel. The wiring harness is guided out from an oblong opening interposed between the protector cover and the panel toward a fixing structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: YAZAKI CORPORATION, AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Mitsunobu KATOU, Tomoaki NISHIMURA, Motonari INAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20100243317
    Abstract: A link arm is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft along a protector base, and urged in a harness-slack-absorbing direction by a torsion coil spring. A wiring harness is fixed to a harness-holding member at a tip end of the link arm and to a harness-fixing portion of the protector base, and routed flexibly between the harness-holding member and the harness-fixing portion via between the protector base and an opposite wall of the link arm opposite to the protector base.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu KATOU, Hiroshi Yamashita, Tomoaki Nishimura, Motonari Inagaki
  • Publication number: 20100243318
    Abstract: The present invention provides a power supply apparatus for a slidable structure which extends longitudinally, comprising: a pivotably-supported ring arm; a wiring harness having one end portion fixed to a tip portion of the ring arm and the other end portion fixed to a stationary structure; and an elastic member configured to bias the ring arm in a forward and upward direction. The ring arm is moved or rotated in a backward and downward direction while elastically deforming the elastic member due to tensile force of the wiring harness, when the slidable structure is moved forward toward its fully closed state. Also, the ring arm is moved or rotated in a forward and upward direction due to restoring force of the elastic member, when the slidable structure is moved backward toward its fully open state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2010
    Publication date: September 30, 2010
    Applicants: Yazaki Corporation, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsunobu KATOU, Tomoaki NISHIMURA, Motonari INAGAKI
  • Publication number: 20090095858
    Abstract: A feeding structure for a sliding structural body includes: a protector base arranged in one of the sliding structural body and a stationary structural body; a link arm pivotally supported by a shaft portion of the protector base; a harness holder pivotally connected to an end portion of the link arm; and a wire harness which is laid from one end of the protector base to the harness holder so as to be bent in a substantial S-shape, and laid from the harness holder to the other of the sliding structural body and the stationary structural body so as to be moved therebetween.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2008
    Publication date: April 16, 2009
    Applicant: YAZAKI CORPORATION
    Inventors: Mitsunobu KATOU, Tohru AOKI