Patents by Inventor Naohiro Sakai

Naohiro Sakai 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: 11001207
    Abstract: A lever switch for a vehicle that enables a driver to understand a function being performed without causing driving distraction. A lever switch for a vehicle mounted on a steering column has a video display formed along a horizontal direction of the vehicle, in which the video display displays a function assigned to an operation of the lever switch for a vehicle, for example, lighting of a turn signal by moving a light spot on the video display from left to right or right to left.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Shigeharu Nezu
  • Publication number: 20190375341
    Abstract: A lever switch for a vehicle capable of grasping a content of a function that a driver is demonstrating without causing any troubles in driving. A swingable lever switch for a vehicle mounted on a steering column has a video display formed along a horizontal direction of the vehicle, in which the video display displays a function assigned to an operation of the lever switch for a vehicle, for example, lighting of a turn signal by moving a light spot on the video display from left to right or right to left vice versa.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2019
    Publication date: December 12, 2019
    Applicant: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro SAKAI, Shigeharu NEZU
  • Patent number: 8847897
    Abstract: The touch-operating input device is configured so that when the control circuit turns on the main light source corresponding to each of the translucent operation buttons that can be operated, the control circuit, on condition that the translucent operation button corresponding to the main light source that is turned on is operated, turns off the sub-light source corresponding to the translucent operation button that is turned on simultaneously with the main light source. Ease of operation is increased by enabling the operator to distinguish operated translucent operation buttons from translucent operation buttons that have not been operated according to whether or not the main light sources are lit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi, Shigeharu Nezu
  • Patent number: 8186240
    Abstract: A joystick type switch device is provided that includes an operating shaft having an operating knob provided at one end, and a case supporting the operating shaft so that the operating shaft can move between a return position and a pushed-in position and tilt from a neutral position around a tilt center, it being possible to detect pushing of the operating shaft into the pushed-in position and tilting of the operating shaft from the neutral position into eight directions, wherein the operating shaft (16) has a magnet mounted at the other end, and a portion, facing the magnet, of a base plate (22) mounted on the case has at least three Hall elements (43A to 43D) fixed thereto at equal intervals around the axis of the operating shaft (16) in the neutral position. This enables excellent durability to be obtained and the number of components to be reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Toyo Denso Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi, Takashi Tsuzuki
  • Publication number: 20110298741
    Abstract: The touch-operating input device is configured so that when the control circuit turns on the main light source corresponding to each of the translucent operation buttons that can be operated, the control circuit, on condition that the translucent operation button corresponding to the main light source that is turned on is operated, turns off the sub-light source corresponding to the translucent operation button that is turned on simultaneously with the main light source. Ease of operation is increased by enabling the operator to distinguish operated translucent operation buttons from translucent operation buttons that have not been operated according to whether or not the main light sources are lit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2010
    Publication date: December 8, 2011
    Applicant: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi, Shigeharu Nezu
  • Patent number: 8063324
    Abstract: Paddle levers protrude from lower sides of a center pad of a steering wheel into two lower spaces partitioned using a horizontal spoke and a vertical spoke of the steering wheel. The paddle lever is formed of a transparent photoconductor, and a periphery of the paddle lever is illuminated in a rimmed shape. Hence, the paddle lever can be visually recognized easily, and a finger touching the paddle lever can be visually recognized instantaneously. Therefore, operation almost nearly equivalent to complete blind touch operation can be attained, and the operability is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20090165592
    Abstract: Paddle levers protrude from lower sides of a center pad of a steering wheel into two lower spaces partitioned using a horizontal spoke and a vertical spoke of the steering wheel. The paddle lever is formed of a transparent photoconductor, and a periphery of the paddle lever is illuminated in a rimmed shape. Hence, the paddle lever can be visually recognized easily, and a finger touching the paddle lever can be visually recognized instantaneously. Therefore, operation almost nearly equivalent to complete blind touch operation can be attained, and the operability is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Applicant: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi
  • Publication number: 20090084214
    Abstract: A joystick type switch device is provided that includes an operating shaft having an operating knob provided at one end, and a case supporting the operating shaft so that the operating shaft can move between a return position and a pushed-in position and tilt from a neutral position around a tilt center, it being possible to detect pushing of the operating shaft into the pushed-in position and tilting of the operating shaft from the neutral position into eight directions, wherein the operating shaft (16) has a magnet mounted at the other end, and a portion, facing the magnet, of a base plate (22) mounted on the case has at least three Hall elements (43A to 43D) fixed thereto at equal intervals around the axis of the operating shaft (16) in the neutral position. This enables excellent durability to be obtained and the number of components to be reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2006
    Publication date: April 2, 2009
    Applicant: TOYO DENSON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Yoshitaka Noguchi, Takashi Tsuzuki
  • Patent number: 7262375
    Abstract: A switch control device for control of drives of power windows and power side mirrors of a vehicle, which has a simple and easy-to-operate switch panel provided with a multifunction switch having a square operating surface to be pushed down as a whole and tilted in any of multiple directions and having four switch contacts disposed one at each of four corners of the operating surface, a window opening/closing switch and a left/right side mirror selecting switch, wherein a control mode of the device is automatically changed to a power window control mode when the multifunction switch is not operated for more than a specified period of time, and it is changed from the power window control mode to a power side-mirror control mode when operating the power side mirror selecting switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Naohiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20070095633
    Abstract: A switch control device for control of drives of power windows and power side mirrors of a vehicle, which has a simple and easy-to-operate switch panel provided with a multifunction switch having a square operating surface to be pushed down as a whole and tilted in any of multiple directions and having four switch contacts disposed one at each of four corners of the operating surface, a window opening/closing switch and a left/right side mirror selecting switch, wherein a control mode of the device is automatically changed to a power window control mode when the multifunction switch is not operated for more than a specified period of time, and it is changed from the power window control mode to a power side-mirror control mode when operating the power side mirror selecting switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Applicant: TOYO DENSO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naohiro Sakai
  • Publication number: 20060243566
    Abstract: An operation switch for a power seat in vehicle, which allows an occupant to adjust the seat forward/backward, tilt the rear/front part of the seat up/down and recline a lumber of the seat by naturally operating a grip portion only in the conformity with actual movements of the seat and which comprises a main body attached to a side of the seat and a grip portion movable in longitudinal and vertical directions relative to the main body and turnable forward/backward about a center axis of the body, wherein the main body incorporates a switch for sliding the power seat forward or backward while moving the grip portion in the longitudinal direction, a switch for tilting the rear part of the seat up or down while moving the grip portion in the vertical direction, a switch for reclining a lumber of the seat while turning the grip portion forward or backward and a switch for tilting the front part of the seat up or down while operating upward or downward a knob attached to a front of the grip portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Inventor: Naohiro Sakai
  • Patent number: 6713691
    Abstract: An operation switch having an operation surface with a specified pattern printed thereon and covered with a soft-feeling layer of paint, which can obtain the increased durability of adhesion between the pattern-printed surface and the soft-feeling coat of paint by adopting a simple technical means and can withstand repeated finger-pressing operations for a long period of service life without stripping the soft-feeling layer from the pattern-printed surface. This is achieved by first printing a specified pattern on the operation substrate surface of the switch by using siliconeless ink or a two-component isocyanate setting type urethane ink and then covering the pattern-printed surface with a coat of a transparent or semitransparent soft paint or by first coating and then printing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignees: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Tatsuya Itakura
  • Publication number: 20030230473
    Abstract: An operation switch having an operation surface with a specified pattern printed thereon and covered with a soft-feeling layer of paint, which can obtain the increased durability of adhesion between the pattern-printed surface and the soft-feeling coat of paint by adopting a simple technical means and can withstand repeated finger-pressing operations for a long period of service life without stripping the soft-feeling layer from the pattern-printed surface. This is achieved by first printing a specified pattern on the operation substrate surface of the switch by using siliconeless ink or a two-component isocyanate setting type urethane ink and then covering the pattern-printed surface with a coat of a transparent or semitransparent soft paint or by first coating and then printing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Publication date: December 18, 2003
    Applicants: Toyo Denso Kabushiki Kaisha, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Naohiro Sakai, Tatsuya Itakura