Patents by Inventor Nobuo Watarai

Nobuo Watarai 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: 7302818
    Abstract: In an apparatus for locking and unlocking a vehicle door, an inner cable, with one end connected to a rotor to make a twisting operation in response to the rotation of the rotor of a cylinder lock and the other end connected to a key operation input shaft of a door lock mechanism, is inserted through an outer casing with opposite ends connected to the cylinder lock and the door lock mechanism. A locking part capable of elastically engaging with an engaging part provided at a casing included by the door lock mechanism is provided at an end portion of the outer casing at a side of the door lock mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2007
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Usuzaki, Nobuo Watarai, Kouichi Tabe, Hidetoshi Ijuin, Nobuyuki Kishikawa, Kozou Munezane, Naoki Katsumata, Kinji Hoshikawa
  • Publication number: 20050258652
    Abstract: In an apparatus for locking and unlocking a vehicle door, an inner cable, with one end connected to a rotor to make a twisting operation in response to the rotation of the rotor of a cylinder lock and the other end connected to a key operation input shaft of a door lock mechanism, is inserted through an outer casing with opposite ends connected to the cylinder lock and the door lock mechanism. A locking part capable of elastically engaging with an engaging part provided at a casing included by the door lock mechanism is provided at an end portion of the outer casing at a side of the door lock mechanism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2005
    Publication date: November 24, 2005
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuuichi Usuzaki, Nobuo Watarai, Kouichi Tabe, Hidetoshi Ijuin, Nobuyuki Kishikawa, Kozou Munezane, Naoki Katsumata, Kinji Hoshikawa
  • Patent number: 6881173
    Abstract: A vehicular engine starting system is provided in which a key cannot be removed from a key hole unless a shift lever is shifted to a parking position, the system including a pivot shaft having a cam surface that abuts against a blocking lever in response to movement of the pivot shaft from a LOCK position to an ACC position. The cam surface is formed into a shape that can move the blocking lever to an engaged position against a spring force of a return spring in response to movement of the pivot shaft from the ACC position toward an ON position. A plunger and the blocking lever are operatively connected so that the plunger is moved toward a retracted position in response to movement of the blocking lever from a disengaged position to the engaged position. Thus, the current consumption and heat generation of the solenoid can be suppressed in engaging the block lever with the pivot shaft in order to prevent the block lever from turning from the ACC position to the LOCK position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventors: Masahiko Harada, Jin Yukihara, Nobuo Watarai
  • Publication number: 20030233991
    Abstract: A vehicular engine starting system is provided in which a key cannot be removed from a key hole unless a shift lever is shifted to a parking position, the system including a pivot shaft having a cam surface that abuts against a blocking lever in response to movement of the pivot shaft from a LOCK position to an ACC position. The cam surface is formed into a shape that can move the blocking lever to an engaged position against a spring force of a return spring in response to movement of the pivot shaft from the ACC position toward an ON position. A plunger and the blocking lever are operatively connected so that the plunger is moved toward a retracted position in response to movement of the blocking lever from a disengaged position to the engaged position. Thus, the current consumption and heat generation of the solenoid can be suppressed in engaging the block lever with the pivot shaft in order to prevent the block lever from turning from the ACC position to the LOCK position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2003
    Publication date: December 25, 2003
    Inventors: Masahiko Harada, Jin Yukihara, Nobuo Watarai
  • Patent number: 5376763
    Abstract: Provided is an improved key switch for vehicles which can control the generation of heat from the contacts without increasing the size of the switch structure itself. The key switch may comprise a rotor, which rotates in accordance with the insertion and rotation of a key, a plurality of fixed contacts provided in a terminal support plate, a plurality of moveable contacts carried by the rotor which cooperate with the fixed contacts according to the angular position of the rotor, and a plurality of terminal plates for connecting the fixed contacts to onboard electric equipment and an onboard battery via a coupler. The terminal plates include a redundant or idle terminal plate which is commonly connected to the terminal plate for power supply, and promotes the dissipation of heat from the terminal plate for power supply, and increases the rigidity of the structure for supporting the coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 27, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Honda Lock
    Inventor: Nobuo Watarai