Patents by Inventor Muneto Inayoshi

Muneto Inayoshi 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: 9162596
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a lock mechanism including a lock lever that includes an engaging portion engageable and disengageable relative to an engaged portion formed at the lower rail, and an unlock operation inhibition apparatus including a mass member arranged at an inner void of the upper rail, a moving axis forming member forming a moving axis of the mass member, and a restriction portion inhibiting a movement of the mass member on the moving axis, the unlock operation inhibition apparatus restricting the engaging portion from moving to disengage from the engaged portion by the movement of the mass member on the moving axis to a position at which the mass member interferes with the lock lever in a case where a collision load greater than a retraining force specified for the restriction portion is input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruo Kato, Muneto Inayoshi, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Katsusuke Araki, Kenichi Usami, Naonori Hioki
  • Patent number: 8738233
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining seat occupancy includes a seat for a vehicle, which has a seating portion, right and left load detecting portions arranged between a vehicle floor and either one of a front portion and a rear portion of the seating portion, the right load detecting portion detecting a load applied to a right side of the seating portion, the left load detecting portion detecting a load applied to a left side of the seating portion, and a seat occupancy determining portion calculating a seating load of the seat on the basis of the detected loads and determining the seat occupancy of the seat by comparing the seating load with a predetermined threshold value, wherein the seat occupancy determining portion varies the predetermined threshold value depending on of a difference value between the loads applied to the right and left sides, respectively, of the seating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Publication number: 20140027600
    Abstract: A seat slide apparatus for a vehicle includes an upper rail, a lower rail, a lock mechanism including a lock lever that includes an engaging portion engageable and disengageable relative to an engaged portion formed at the lower rail, and an unlock operation inhibition apparatus including a mass member arranged at an inner void of the upper rail, a moving axis forming member forming a moving axis of the mass member, and a restriction portion inhibiting a movement of the mass member on the moving axis, the unlock operation inhibition apparatus restricting the engaging portion from moving to disengage from the engaged portion by the movement of the mass member on the moving axis to a position at which the mass member interferes with the lock lever in a case where a collision load greater than a retraining force specified for the restriction portion is input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Haruo KATO, Muneto Inayoshi, Hideo Nihonmatsu, Katsusuke Araki, Kenichi Usami, Naonori Hioki
  • Patent number: 8594893
    Abstract: A seat load determining apparatus, which includes a load sensor provided at least one rear support portion which support a seat and detecting a load applied to the rear support portion, a load detection portion detecting a part of a weight of a load applying body provided at the seat and outputting a detected load value, a vehicle start detection sensor detecting that a vehicle starts moving, and a determining portion determining that the load applying body corresponds to an adult when the load detection portion detects the detected load value to be greater than a first determination value within a predetermined time, the determining portion determining that the load applying body corresponds to a child when the load detection portion detects the detected load value that is smaller than the first determination value and greater than a second determination value which is smaller than the first determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8584534
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a slide rail arranged slidably relative to a vehicle floor in a longitudinal direction, a bracket including a first end portion fixed to the slide rail, a second end portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a vehicle seat supported by the bracket, and a load detection device arranged between the slide rail and the second end portion of the bracket and detecting a load applied to the vehicle seat, wherein rigidity of the connecting portion of the bracket in a vertical direction of the vehicle is set to be lower than rigidities of the first end portion and the second end portion of the bracket in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshiaki Tomatsu
  • Patent number: 8504235
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a seat occupancy includes a load detecting portion attached to a seat portion of a seat for a vehicle and detecting a seat occupancy load, a seatbelt buckling detecting portion detecting an engagement of a buckle of a seatbelt, and a seat occupancy determining portion determining the seat occupancy on the basis of detection signals from the seatbelt buckling detecting portion and the load detecting portion. The seat occupancy determining portion determines a mounted state of a child seat, in which the child seat is placed on the seat and is fixed thereto by means of the seatbelt, in a case where the seat occupancy load changes so as to be increased at a predetermined speed or faster and subsequently so as to be decreased at a predetermined speed or faster, within a time period proximate to a time point when the buckle is engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii, Ryota Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 8467931
    Abstract: A seat occupancy determining apparatus includes right and left load detecting portion provided at right and left side portions of a seat portion of a vehicle seat and detecting load applied thereto, respectively, a vehicle operation detecting portion for detecting an operation of a predetermined component of a vehicle, and a seat occupancy determining portion determining a seat occupancy state of the vehicle seat on the basis of signals outputted from the vehicle operation detecting portion and the right and left load detecting portion, the seat occupancy determining portion calculating a left-right load difference value on the basis of the detection loads and determining that vehicle seat is in a child seat fastened state where the child seat is fastened to the vehicle seat by means of a seat belt apparatus in a case where a fluctuation of the left-right load difference value occurs after the predetermined component is operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8448529
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a seat occupancy includes a load detecting portion provided between one of a front portion and a rear portion of a seating portion of a seat for a vehicle that includes a lifting function for changing a height position of the seating portion relative to a floor for the vehicle, the seat including a seat back at the rear portion of the seating portion of the seat, the load detecting portion detecting a seating load applied to the seating portion, and a seat occupancy determining portion comparing the seating load detected by the load detecting portion with a predetermined threshold value and determining a seat occupancy state of the seat, the seat occupancy determining portion changing the threshold value based on the height position of the seating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mutsuro Aoyama, Hideki Kawabata, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Kazumasa Seo, Isao Honda, Takeshi Kuwabara, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8445792
    Abstract: A load detection device includes a load sensor provided at a support portion that is positioned at a rear portion of a seat for a vehicle, the seat including a seatback at the rear portion of the seat, the load sensor detecting a load applied to the support portion that is a part of a plurality of support portions, a load detecting portion detecting a portion of a load of a seat occupancy of the seat based on an output from the load sensor and outputting a detected load value, a longitudinal inclination angle detecting portion detecting a longitudinal inclination angle of the vehicle, and a load correcting portion correcting, depending on the longitudinal inclination angle, the detected load value of the portion of the load of the seat occupancy based on a relationship between the detected load value of the seat occupancy and the longitudinal inclination angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8433476
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a seat occupancy includes a load detecting portion, a seatbelt detecting portion, and a seat occupancy determining portion determining that an adult is seated on the seat in a case where a seating load equal to or greater than a predetermined first load is detected and determining a child seat placed state where a child seat is placed on the seat and fastened by the seatbelt in a case where the seating load smaller than the first load is detected and the engagement of the buckle of the seatbelt is detected. The seat occupancy determining portion maintains a determination result of the child seat placed state even when the seating load becomes equal to or greater than the first load in a case where a predetermined determination result retention condition is satisfied after the child seat placed state is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8384530
    Abstract: A seat occupant determining apparatus includes a first load detecting sensor at a right of a seat, a second load detecting sensor at a left of the seat, a third load detecting sensor at a front or a rear of the first and second load detecting sensors, in order to detect a part of the load, respectively, a right-left sum value calculating portion calculating a right-left sum value, a threshold changing portion for changing an occupant determining threshold on the basis of the load value of the third load detecting sensor, and an occupant determining portion determining an occupant of the seat to be an adult when the right-left sum value is equal to or more than the occupant determining threshold and determining an occupant of the seat to be a child in a child seat when the right-left sum value is less than the occupant determining threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8348003
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kentaro Morishita, Yosuke Kubota, Isao Hagiwara, Koki Terashima, Muneto Inayoshi
  • Patent number: 8328276
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining an impact on a vehicle includes: a load detecting portion attached to an end portion of a seat portion of a seat for the vehicle, and detecting a compressing-direction load, and a pulling-direction load; and an impact determining portion determining that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, is detected within a first predetermined time period, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a fourth predetermined value, is detected within a second predetermined time period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8296099
    Abstract: A vehicle tilt detecting apparatus includes a load sensor provided for detecting a load acts on a supporting portion, a load detecting portion detecting a partial load value of the load placed on the seat on the basis of an output from the load sensor and outputting a detected load value, first interrelating portion indicates a relation between a detected load value of no-load and a front-rear tilt angle of the vehicle, unoccupied seat determining portion determining an unoccupied state, where no-load is placed on the seat, when the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion is less than an unoccupied seat determining value and front-rear tilt angle calculating portion calculating the front-rear tilt angle corresponding to the detected load value outputted from the load detecting portion, on the basis of the first interrelating portion, when the unoccupied seat determining portion determines the unoccupied state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8285455
    Abstract: A seat belt warning device includes a seat belt restraining and releasing a passenger seated on a seat for a vehicle, a load detecting device including two load sensors that are provided at a rear portion of the seat, a warning member warning a passenger to fasten the seat belt, and a controlling portion determining one of an unoccupied-seat recognition mode, a passenger seating recognition mode, and a luggage recognition mode. The controlling portion performs a first transition process in which the unoccupied-seat recognition mode is shifted to the luggage recognition mode and in which the luggage recognition mode is shifted to the unoccupied-seat recognition mode. The controlling portion performs a second transition process in which the unoccupied-seat recognition mode is shifted to the passenger seating recognition mode and in which the passenger seating recognition mode is shifted to the unoccupied-seat recognition mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Akira Enomoto, Hiroyuki Fujii
  • Patent number: 8258413
    Abstract: A load detection device for a vehicle seat mounted between a floor side mounting mechanism and a seat side mounting mechanism and measuring a load applied by an occupant seated on the vehicle seat, includes a shaft member adapted to be fixed to one of the floor side mounting mechanism and the seat side mounting mechanism, a strain generating member fixed to the shaft member and including a hole into which the shaft member is press-fitted, a strain gauge attached to the strain generating member, the shaft member of which surface hardness is specified to be lower than a surface hardness of the hole and including a scraping projecting portion scraped off by means of the hole in a case where the shaft member is press-fitted to the hole, and an inter space formed between the strain generating member and the shaft member and positioned next to the scraping projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Yoshimasa Asano, Hiroyuki Fujii, Naoka Kawajiri, Takeshi Kuwabara
  • Publication number: 20120211296
    Abstract: There is provided an occupant detection correction system including: a load detection section that detects load imparted to a vehicle seat and outputs a load signal representing the load; an occupant detection section that detects an occupant based on the load signal and is capable of resetting the load signal to a reference point based on a predetermined reset instruction; a tilt angle detection section that detects a predetermined tilt angle of a seatback; and a permitting section that permits execution of resetting the load signal to the reference point by the occupant detection section when the predetermined tilt angle is detected by the tilt angle detection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kentaro MORISHITA, Yosuke KUBOTA, Isao HAGIWARA, Koki TERASHIMA, Muneto INAYOSHI
  • Patent number: 8215189
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle, includes a seat-side fixing member, a slide rail, a load detecting device disposed between the seat-side fixing member and the slide rail and arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a rear side of the vehicle, and a bracket arranged at an end portion of the slide rail on a front side of the vehicle, the bracket supporting the seat-side fixing member. The bracket includes a lower attachment portion attached to the slide rail, a supporting portion extending from the lower attachment portion toward an upper side of the vehicle, and an upper attachment portion connected to the supporting portion so as to extend from the supporting portion toward the rear side of the vehicle, thereby being cantilever-supported by the supporting portion, and attached to the seat-side fixing member at a free-end side of the upper attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Maeta, Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshimasa Asano, Naoka Kawajiri, Takeshi Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 8212157
    Abstract: A load detection device for a vehicle seat mounted between a floor side mounting mechanism made of metal and a seat side mounting mechanism made of metal and measuring a load applied by an occupant seated on the vehicle seat includes a strain generating body adapted to be fixed via both end portions to a fitting surface formed at one of the floor side mounting mechanism and the seat side mounting mechanism while having a predetermined clearance from the fitting surface, a strain gauge attached to the strain generating body, a bracket made of metal and including an attachment portion that extends laterally relative to the strain generating body, and an amplifier substrate mounted on the attachment portion while being arranged in parallel to the strain generating body, both surfaces of the amplifier substrate being covered by one of or more of the bracket, the floor side mounting mechanism and the seat side mounting mechanism, the amplifier substrate amplifying a signal output from the strain gauge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2012
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Ito, Muneto Inayoshi, Kan Ichihara, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshimasa Asano, Naoka Kawajiri, Takeshi Kuwabara, Hajime Shiohara
  • Publication number: 20120068511
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a slide rail arranged slidably relative to a vehicle floor in a longitudinal direction, a bracket including a first end portion fixed to the slide rail, a second end portion, and a connecting portion connecting the first end portion to the second end portion, a vehicle seat supported by the bracket, and a load detection device arranged between the slide rail and the second end portion of the bracket and detecting a load applied to the vehicle seat, wherein rigidity of the connecting portion of the bracket in a vertical direction of the vehicle is set to be lower than rigidities of the first end portion and the second end portion of the bracket in the vertical direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2011
    Publication date: March 22, 2012
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Muneto Inayoshi, Hiroyuki Fujii, Yoshiaki Tomatsu