Patents by Inventor Nobumasa HIGASHI
Nobumasa HIGASHI 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).
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Patent number: 10414295Abstract: A reclining device includes a first member having a closed-bottomed cylindrical shape and having internal teeth formed on an inner circumferential surface along a circumferential direction, a pawl having external teeth capable of meshing with the internal teeth, a second member provided on an opening side of the first member and having a pawl guide for guiding movement of the pawl between a lock position and an unlock position, and a cam provided between the first member and the second member turnably in relation to the first and second members and urging the pawl to a direction of engaging the external teeth with the internal teeth according to an angle of turn. The pawl has opposite surface-roughened side walls facing and guided by guide wall surfaces of the pawl guide.Type: GrantFiled: July 20, 2017Date of Patent: September 17, 2019Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Noriaki Maeda, Nobumasa Higashi
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Patent number: 10058178Abstract: A reclining device includes: a reclining mechanism, which is capable of tilting of a seat back relative to a seat cushion to be locked or unlocked; a hinge pin, which is engaged with the reclining mechanism and configured to cause the reclining mechanism to be in an unlocked state; a first biasing member, one end of which is hooked to a hooking part provided at a seat-cushion-side member; and a second biasing member, one end of which is engaged to a periphery of an engagement part formed at the hinge pin and the other end of which is hooked to the seat-cushion-side member, wherein a vertical cross-section of the engagement part of the hinge pin has a non-circular shape.Type: GrantFiled: January 30, 2017Date of Patent: August 28, 2018Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Kazutaka Sasaki, Nobumasa Higashi, Noriyuki Zaiki, Munetomo Kumamoto
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Publication number: 20180213936Abstract: A reclining device includes: a reclining mechanism, which is capable of tilting of a seat back relative to a seat cushion to be locked or unlocked; a hinge pin, which is engaged with the reclining mechanism and configured to cause the reclining mechanism to be in an unlocked state; a first biasing member, one end of which is hooked to a hooking part provided at a seat-cushion-side member; and a second biasing member, one end of which is engaged to a periphery of an engagement part formed at the hinge pin and the other end of which is hooked to the seat-cushion-side member, wherein a vertical cross-section of the engagement part of the hinge pin has a non-circular shape.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 30, 2017Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Kazutaka Sasaki, Nobumasa Higashi, Noriyuki Zaiki, Munetomo Kumamoto
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Patent number: 9969302Abstract: A walk-in seat includes: a lower arm; an upper arm; a reclining mechanism; a shaft, which is rotatably provided to the lower arm; an operating lever, which is rotated with interlocking with the walk-in lever that is rotated by the walk-in operation; a rotation facilitating lever, which causes the shaft and the operating lever to further rotate with interlocking with a forward tilting operation of the upper arm; a stopper lever, which is held in the shaft with a play in a rotation direction and has a stopper portion; an insertion hole, through which the stopper portion being inserted; and a restriction portion, which is provided to the upper arm and abutted against the stopper portion to restrict a forward tilting operation of the upper arm to a predetermined amount.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2015Date of Patent: May 15, 2018Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Munetomo Kumamoto
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Patent number: 9963047Abstract: A seat sliding device for a vehicle includes a lower rail; an upper rail, which is supported to be able to slide relative to the lower rail and is fixed to a seat; and a bracket, which includes an acting portion to transmit a predetermined external force acting on the upper rail to the lower rail and is fixed to the upper rail, wherein the acting portion is disposed to overlap with the lower rail in an up-down direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the sliding device.Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2016Date of Patent: May 8, 2018Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Norihisa Nozue, Takayuki Sakurai, Nobumasa Higashi
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Publication number: 20180029506Abstract: A reclining device includes a first member having a closed-bottomed cylindrical shape and having internal teeth formed on an inner circumferential surface along a circumferential direction, a pawl having external teeth capable of meshing with the internal teeth, a second member provided on an opening side of the first member and having a pawl guide for guiding movement of the pawl between a lock position and an unlock position, and a cam provided between the first member and the second member turnably in relation to the first and second members and urging the pawl to a direction of engaging the external teeth with the internal teeth according to an angle of turn. The pawl has opposite surface-roughened side walls facing and guided by guide wall surfaces of the pawl guide.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2017Publication date: February 1, 2018Inventors: Noriaki MAEDA, Nobumasa HIGASHI
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Patent number: 9731630Abstract: A seat slide device includes a lower rail, which is provided along a front-and-rear direction; an upper rail, which is movably engaged with the lower rail; a lock mechanism, which is configured to lock and unlock a movement of the upper rail; a walk-in mechanism, which makes a seat be movable into a walk-in area located by unlocking the lock mechanism; and a movable-range restriction unit which: allows the seat to move into the walk-in area when the seat is moved toward the walk-in area from a rear side in a state where the walk-in mechanism is operated; and prevents the seat from moving into the walk-in area when the seat is moved toward the walk-in area from the rear side in a state where the walk-in mechanism is not operated and the lock mechanism is unlocked.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2015Date of Patent: August 15, 2017Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Kazutaka Sasaki, Norihisa Nozue, Nobumasa Higashi, Shingo Ichikawa
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Patent number: 9630529Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus is provided in which a spring cover which covers a lock spring for rotationally biasing a rotational cam can be easily and securely mounted to an outer surface of a base plate or a ratchet plate. The seat reclining apparatus is provided with a lock spring disposed to face the outer surface of the base plate or disposed in a hole in the base plate to bias and rotate the rotational center shaft in a direction to rotate the rotational cam toward the locked position, and a spring cover disposed to face the outer surface of the base plate and covers the lock spring, and to make an inner surface of one of the seat cushion side frame and the seatback side frame contact an outer surface of a protrusion which is projected from the spring cover.Type: GrantFiled: July 17, 2013Date of Patent: April 25, 2017Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Noriaki Maeda, Kazutaka Sasaki
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Publication number: 20170072817Abstract: A walk-in seat includes: a lower arm; an upper arm; a reclining mechanism; a shaft, which is rotatably provided to the lower arm; an operating lever, which is rotated with interlocking with the walk-in lever that is rotated by the walk-in operation; a rotation facilitating lever, which causes the shaft and the operating lever to further rotate with interlocking with a forward tilting operation of the upper arm; a stopper lever, which is held in the shaft with a play in a rotation direction and has a stopper portion; an insertion hole, through which the stopper portion being inserted; and a restriction portion, which is provided to the upper arm and abutted against the stopper portion to restrict a forward tilting operation of the upper arm to a predetermined amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2015Publication date: March 16, 2017Inventors: Nobumasa HIGASHI, Munetomo KUMAMOTO
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Publication number: 20160355106Abstract: A seat sliding device for a vehicle includes a lower rail; an upper rail, which is supported to be able to slide relative to the lower rail and is fixed to a seat; and a bracket, which includes an acting portion to transmit a predetermined external force acting on the upper rail to the lower rail and is fixed to the upper rail, wherein the acting portion is disposed to overlap with the lower rail in an up-down direction which is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the sliding device.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2016Publication date: December 8, 2016Inventors: Norihisa NOZUE, Takayuki SAKURAI, Nobumasa HIGASHI
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Patent number: 9452696Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, a lock member guided by a guide groove of the base plate between engaged and disengaged positions, a first cam between the base plate and the ratchet plate, and a second cam which moves toward and presses the lock member to an engaged position by the first cam when the first cam rotates from the unlocked to locked positions. The second cam includes a surface contact portion which comes in surface contact with a guide surface in the guide groove, an engaging portion which is pressed by the first cam, and a pressing portion which presses a pressed portion of the lock member. One and the other of the pressing portion and the pressed portion respectively includes a flat surface and a curved surface that is convex toward the flat surface.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2013Date of Patent: September 27, 2016Assignee: Shiroki CorporationInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Noriaki Maeda, Kazutaka Sasaki
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Patent number: 9221363Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, guide grooves formed on the base plate including an internal gear, lock members installed in the guide grooves and each having an outer toothed portion, and an operating member for moving the lock members between engaged and disengaged positions in which an outer toothed portion is engaged and disengaged with the internal gear, respectively. One of the lock members constitutes a small-clearance lock member which is smaller in play in a circumferential direction relative to a guide groove than the remaining lock members when in the engaged position. The small-clearance lock member is provided at the smallest distance between an engagement central position, at which the outer toothed portion and the internal gear are centered about, and an upper end of the seatback side frame.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2013Date of Patent: December 29, 2015Assignee: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Noriaki Maeda, Kazutaka Sasaki
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Publication number: 20150321583Abstract: A seat slide device includes a lower rail, which is provided along a front-and-rear direction; an upper rail, which is movably engaged with the lower rail; a lock mechanism, which is configured to lock and unlock a movement of the upper rail; a walk-in mechanism, which makes a seat be movable into a walk-in area located by unlocking the lock mechanism; and a movable-range restriction unit which: allows the seat to move into the walk-in area when the seat is moved toward the walk-in area from a rear side in a state where the walk-in mechanism is operated; and prevents the seat from moving into the walk-in area when the seat is moved toward the walk-in area from the rear side in a state where the walk-in mechanism is not operated and the lock mechanism is unlocked.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2015Publication date: November 12, 2015Inventors: Kazutaka SASAKI, Norihisa Nozue, Nobumasa Higashi, Shingo Ichikawa
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Publication number: 20150266398Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus is provided in which a spring cover which covers a lock spring for rotationally biasing a rotational cam can be easily and securely mounted to an outer surface of a base plate or a ratchet plate. The seat reclining apparatus is provided with a lock spring disposed to face the outer surface of the base plate or disposed in a hole in the base plate to bias and rotate the rotational center shaft in a direction to rotate the rotational cam toward the locked position, and a spring cover disposed to face the outer surface of the base plate and covers the lock spring, and to make an inner surface of one of the seat cushion side frame and the seatback side frame contact an outer surface of a protrusion which is projected from the spring cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 17, 2013Publication date: September 24, 2015Applicant: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Noriaki Maeda, Kazutaka Sasaki
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Patent number: 9004601Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, lock members supported by the base plate to be movable between engaged and disengaged positions, an operating mechanism for moving the lock members between the engaged and disengaged positions, and an unlocked-state forcibly holding mechanism, for forcibly holding each of the lock members, including a forced lock release projection on one lock member and a forced lock release surface on the ratchet plate and which engages with the forced lock release projection to hold the lock members in the disengaged position. The lock members, on which the forced lock release projection is not formed, are subjected to a force so as to be urged downward due to gravity when the seatback is in between the forwardly-tilted position and the first-stage locked position.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2013Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: Shiroki CorporationInventors: Nobumasa Higashi, Noriaki Maeda, Kazutaka Sasaki
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Publication number: 20140077537Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, a lock member guided by a guide groove of the base plate between engaged and disengaged positions, a first cam between the base plate and the ratchet plate, and a second cam which moves toward and presses the lock member to an engaged position by the first cam when the first cam rotates from the unlocked to locked positions. The second cam includes a surface contact portion which comes in surface contact with a guide surface in the guide groove, an engaging portion which is pressed by the first cam, and a pressing portion which presses a pressed portion of the lock member. One and the other of the pressing portion and the pressed portion respectively includes a flat surface and a curved surface that is convex toward the flat surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Shiroki CorporationInventors: Nobumasa HIGASHI, Noriaki MAEDA, Kazutaka SASAKI
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Publication number: 20140077563Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, lock members supported by the base plate to be movable between engaged and disengaged positions, an operating mechanism for moving the lock members between the engaged and disengaged positions, and an unlocked-state forcibly holding mechanism, for forcibly holding each of the lock members, including a forced lock release projection on one lock member and a forced lock release surface on the ratchet plate and which engages with the forced lock release projection to hold the lock members in the disengaged position. The lock members, on which the forced lock release projection is not formed, are subjected to a force so as to be urged downward due to gravity when the seatback is in between the forwardly-tilted position and the first-stage locked position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa HIGASHI, Noriaki MAEDA, Kazutaka SASAKI
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Publication number: 20140077559Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, guide grooves formed on the base plate, lock members installed in the guide grooves and guided thereby between engaged and disengaged positions, a first cam positioned between the base plate and the ratchet plate and rotates relative thereto by an operation of an operating member between locked and unlocked positions, and a single second cam which presses one of the lock members to the engaged position by receiving a force from the first cam when the first cam rotates from the unlocked position to the locked position, wherein the single second cam is positioned in one of the guide grooves that serves as a second-cam accommodating guide groove, and the single second cam can come in sliding contact with an inner surface of the one of the guide grooves.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: Shiroki CorporationInventors: Nobumasa HIGASHI, Noriaki MAEDA, Kazutaka SASAKI
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Publication number: 20140077562Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a base plate, a ratchet plate, guide grooves formed on the base plate including an internal gear, lock members installed in the guide grooves and each having an outer toothed portion, and an operating member for moving the lock members between engaged and disengaged positions in which an outer toothed portion is engaged and disengaged with the internal gear, respectively. One of the lock members constitutes a small-clearance lock member which is smaller in play in a circumferential direction relative to a guide groove than the remaining lock members when in the engaged position. The small-clearance lock member is provided at the smallest distance between an engagement central position, at which the outer toothed portion and the internal gear are centered about, and an upper end of the seatback side frame.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2013Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: SHIROKI CORPORATIONInventors: Nobumasa HIGASHI, Noriaki MAEDA, Kazutaka SASAKI