Patents by Inventor Norihisa Sasano

Norihisa Sasano 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: 8241385
    Abstract: An air cleaner unit includes a casing and a filter element disposed in the casing for filtering air to be introduced into an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The casing includes a first case member and a second case member that are coupled to each other such that the filter element is housed in an element housing portion of the casing. The first case member has a hinge receiving portion, and the second case member has a hinge inserting portion. The hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are disposed under the element housing portion. The hinge receiving portion includes an engagement opening in which the hinge inserting portion is received such that the hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are connected in a hinge manner. The hinge receiving portion further includes a hinge receiving surface that extends from a vicinity of the engagement opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akihiro Maeda, Akira Nakawatase, Ryuji Kanzaka, Yuji Matsubara, Shingo Kimura, Akira Enomoto, Kazuya Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8097056
    Abstract: An air cleaner unit for an internal combustion engine includes a casing and a filter element disposed in the casing. The casing includes a first case member having a first opening and a first sealing surface on a periphery of the first opening and a second case member having a second opening and a second sealing surface on a periphery of the second opening. The first case member and the second case member are coupled such that the first and second openings are opposed in a substantially horizontal direction of a vehicle. The filter element has a peripheral portion that is interposed between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. The first case member includes a side wall and a projection that projects from an inner surface of the side wall. The filter element is held in a substantially vertical position in the casing through the projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akihiro Maeda, Akira Nakawatase, Ryuji Kanzaka, Yuji Matsubara, Shingo Kimura, Akira Enomoto, Kazuya Tanaka
  • Patent number: 8070430
    Abstract: A resinous shroud includes a resinous wall portion formed between a portion corresponding to a casing and a portion corresponding to a retaining member in a shroud portion when a resin material is filled from a gate portion. Thereby, a flow of the resin material to the portion corresponding to the casing from a portion corresponding to the gate portion can be dispersed by the resinous wall portion. Alternatively, an extended resinous wall portion may be formed in place of the resinous wall portion. Therefore, welds generated at the casing can be made small, and cambers generated at the casing can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Norihisa Sasano
  • Publication number: 20100050980
    Abstract: An air cleaner unit for an internal combustion engine includes a casing and a filter element disposed in the casing. The casing includes a first case member having a first opening and a first sealing surface on a periphery of the first opening and a second case member having a second opening and a second sealing surface on a periphery of the second opening. The first case member and the second case member are coupled such that the first and second openings are opposed in a substantially horizontal direction of a vehicle. The filter element has a peripheral portion that is interposed between the first sealing surface and the second sealing surface. The first case member includes a side wall and a projection that projects from an inner surface of the side wall. The filter element is held in a substantially vertical position in the casing through the projection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 21, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akihiro Maeda, Akira Nakawatase, Ryuji Kanzaka, Yuji Matsubara, Shingo Kimura, Akira Enomoto, Kazuya Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20090148281
    Abstract: A resinous shroud includes a resinous wall portion formed between a portion corresponding to a casing and a portion corresponding to a retaining member in a shroud portion when a resin material is filled from a gate portion. Thereby, a flow of the resin material to the portion corresponding to the casing from a portion corresponding to the gate portion can be dispersed by the resinous wall portion. Alternatively, an extended resinous wall portion may be formed in place of the resinous wall portion. Therefore, welds generated at the casing can be made small, and cambers generated at the casing can be suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Norihisa Sasano
  • Publication number: 20090129918
    Abstract: A blower unit has a first axial fan and a second axial fan for generating a flow of cooling air passing through a heat exchanger disposed under an intake duct through which an intake air to be introduced to an engine flows. The first axial fan and the second axial fan are aligned in a substantially horizontal direction downstream of the heat exchanger with respect to the flow of air. A first rotation axis of the first axial fan and a second rotation axis of the second axial fan are perpendicular to the heat exchanger and located lower than a center of the heat exchanger. The first axial fan, which is disposed on a right side of the second axial fan, rotates in a clockwise direction and the second axial fan rotates in a counterclockwise direction when viewed from a downstream position with respect to the flow of air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: May 21, 2009
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takeuchi, Norihisa Sasano
  • Publication number: 20080314357
    Abstract: An air cleaner unit includes a casing and a filter element disposed in the casing for filtering air to be introduced into an internal combustion engine of a vehicle. The casing includes a first case member and a second case member that are coupled to each other such that the filter element is housed in an element housing portion of the casing. The first case member has a hinge receiving portion, and the second case member has a hinge inserting portion. The hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are disposed under the element housing portion. The hinge receiving portion includes an engagement opening in which the hinge inserting portion is received such that the hinge receiving portion and the hinge inserting portion are connected in a hinge manner. The hinge receiving portion further includes a hinge receiving surface that extends from a vicinity of the engagement opening.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2008
    Publication date: December 25, 2008
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akihiro Maeda, Akira Nakawatase, Ryuji Kanzaka, Yuji Matsubara, Shingo Kimura, Akira Enomoto, Kazuya Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20080289796
    Abstract: A cooling module includes a heat exchanger, a blower, a fan shroud and an air cleaner unit for filtering air to be introduced into an engine of a vehicle. The fan shroud holds the blower on a downstream side of the heat exchanger with respect to a flow of air passing through the heat exchanger and has an air introducing portion defining an air passage from the heat exchanger to the blower. A front end of the air cleaner unit is offset from the heat exchanger with respect to a horizontal direction. A side wall of the air cleaner unit partly forms the air introducing portion. A clearance is provided between the side wall and the heat exchanger such that air upstream of the heat exchanger is conducted toward a position downstream of the heat exchanger through the clearance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Boshoku Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akihiro Maeda, Akira Nakawatase, Ryuji Kanzaka, Yuji Matsubara, Shingo Kimura, Akira Enomoto, Kazuya Tanaka, Kouji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7334654
    Abstract: An inlet 51 is disposed at a position which is on an upper side relative to an axial flow fan 60 and is opposite to a direction of air flow produced by the rotation of the axial flow fan 60, whereas an intercooler 30 is disposed at a position which is on a lower side relative to the axial flow fan 60 and is downstream along the direction of air flow produced by the rotation of the axial flow fan 60, whereby it can be prevented that an air cleaner 50 constitutes a resistance to an air flow to thereby reduce the volume of air which passes through the intercooler 30. Consequently, intake air can be sufficiently cooled to thereby increase the output of an engine 40.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Toshiki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 7150335
    Abstract: In a front end structure of a vehicle, a front end panel and a fan shroud are provided as separate parts. The front end panel and the fan shroud form labyrinthine gap structure between them. The labyrinthine gap structure restricts air from leaking or entering through a space between the front end panel and the fan shroud. Accordingly, a heat exchanging performance of a heat exchanger is not decreased. Also, the front end panel and the fan shroud are separately exchangeable or repairable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2006
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Yuhei Kunikata
  • Patent number: 6953080
    Abstract: A first pipe 231 and a second pipe 232 are connected using connectors 233 and 234 so that at least one of the connectors 233 and 234 is located in a through-hole 133. In this way, since the through-hole 133 is filled in by at least one of the connectors 233 and 234, the gap between the connectors 233 and 234 and the edge of the through-hole 133 can be considerably reduced. It is, therefore, possible to prevent hot air from moving to the front of a panel 100 through the gap between connectors 233 and 234 and the edge of the through-hole 133.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Akira Uchikawa, Satoshi Matsuura, Kouichi Mizukami
  • Patent number: 6904958
    Abstract: A tapered section and a flange section which constitute reinforcements are provided on mounting members to which a blower (fan shroud) is to be attached. The reinforcements are provided on the sides of the reinforcements which are in contact with a longer side wall surface of a rectangular tank. According to this structure, it is possible to prevent the longer side wall surface from deforming, while mitigating the concentration of stress to the joint portions between the mounting members and the longer side wall surface. Therefore, the mechanical strength, reliability and durability of the header tank can be improved without increasing the mass (weight) and production cost of the radiator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventors: Tatsuo Ozaki, Norihisa Sasano, Takaaki Sakane
  • Patent number: 6893081
    Abstract: Protrusions are provided in a front end panel, and holes in which the protrusions are fitted are provided in a front fender in a vehicle body. Accordingly, when the front end panel is secured to the vehicle body, the protrusions are fitted in the holes so that the front end panel is provisionally positioned relative to the vehicle body, and is completely secured by fastening bolts thereafter. Therefore, the front end panel can be easily secured to the vehicle body while being positioned to the latter, without providing the main reference hole or the sub-reference hole in the front end panel or without preparing a special tool to hold the front end panel while the front end panel is positioned relative to the vehicle body, prior to tightening the bolts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Toshiharu Nagai
  • Patent number: 6883589
    Abstract: A front end structure includes a front end panel (400) that is configured as a duct structure for preventing the air introduced from a grille opening (452) from bypassing a condenser (200) and a radiator (100). A fan unit (300) is arranged on the most upstream side portion of the structure. As a result, without the need to provide parts making up a separate duct structure, fresh air flow temperature can be blown in, while at the same time, the air that has passed through the condenser (200) can be prevented from bypassing the radiator (100). Thus, the heat releasing capacity of the condenser (200) and the radiator (100) can be improved while simultaneously preventing leakage between the condenser (200) and the radiator (100) without adding complex structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Ozawa, Toshiki Sugiyama, Norihisa Sasano, Noriaki Maeda, Shun Kurata
  • Patent number: 6827129
    Abstract: A front-end module, including a heat exchanger including a radiator and a condenser integrated with each other, brackets, etc. and having a dual function as a strength member for the vehicle body, is mounted on an automotive vehicle. As a result, the front end panel is eliminated, and a simple structure is provided in which the parts which can be assembled on the front end of the vehicle, including the radiator, the condenser, headlights, a hood lock, a horn and sensors, can be assembled on the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Ozawa, Toshiki Sugiyama, Norihisa Sasano, Masakazu Watanabe, Hisashi Kayano
  • Publication number: 20040211607
    Abstract: In a front end structure of a vehicle, a front end panel and a fan shroud are provided as separate parts. The front end panel and the fan shroud form labyrinthine gap structure between them. The labyrinthine gap structure restricts air from leaking or entering through a space between the front end panel and the fan shroud. Accordingly, a heat exchanging performance of a heat exchanger is not decreased. Also, the front end panel and the fan shroud are separately exchangeable or repairable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2004
    Publication date: October 28, 2004
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Yuhei Kunikata
  • Publication number: 20040163864
    Abstract: An inlet 51 is disposed at a position which is on an upper side relative to an axial flow fan 60 and is opposite to a direction of air flow produced by the rotation of the axial flow fan 60, whereas an intercooler 30 is disposed at a position which is on a lower side relative to the axial flow fan 60 and is downstream along the direction of air flow produced by the rotation of the axial flow fan 60, whereby it can be prevented that an air cleaner 50 constitutes a resistance to an air flow to thereby reduce the volume of air which passes through the intercooler 30. Consequently, intake air can be sufficiently cooled to thereby increase the output of an engine 40.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2003
    Publication date: August 26, 2004
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Toshiki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 6708790
    Abstract: A front-end structure comprising a panel body (400) to which a center member (500), being fixed to a body of a vehicle at a front end of the vehicle and supporting, at least, a driving engine (E/G), is joined, wherein the panel body (400) is molded out of aluminum by die-casting and a joining section (421) of the panel body (400) to which the center member (500) is joined has a mechanical strength higher than that of any other sections of the panel body (400) near the joining section (421) except the joining section (421).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Ozawa, Toshiki Sugiyama, Norihisa Sasano, Noriaki Maeda, Kazuaki Kafuku, Harumi Okai, Yasuhiko Itou, Tomoyuki Hatano, Hiromi Takagi, Takeshi Nagasaka, Yasushi Hibi
  • Publication number: 20040035551
    Abstract: In a cover structure for restricting adhesion of foreign materials such as an antifreezing agent to a resinous tank of a heat exchanger, a cover member is arranged such that its first end is in the proximity of a boundary between a core portion and the resinous tank of the heat exchanger and its second end is adjacent to an opening through which air is introduced. The cover member blocks the foreign materials entering from the opening and restricts. Also, the cover member directs the air having passed through the opening toward the core portion. Thus, the tank is less likely to deteriorate due to adhesion of the foreign materials. Further, efficiency of heat exchange of the core portion improves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Inventors: Masami Tamura, Norihisa Sasano
  • Publication number: 20040025813
    Abstract: It is required to prevent a worker from hitting his head against an engine hood, a vehicle body, or the like, when he checks the level of cooling water remaining in a tank, or the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Norihisa Sasano, Masami Tamura, Takahiro Isogai