Patents by Inventor Ryo Kunitachi

Ryo Kunitachi 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: 10527466
    Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly including a display screen having a backlight. A pointer is movable to point to different portions of an instrument cluster gauge in order to convey information to a driver or operator. A light guide is included with the pointer. The light guide is configured to receive light from the backlight of the display screen, and illuminate the pointer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Kunitachi, Brandon Peterson
  • Patent number: 9933287
    Abstract: A pointer is rotational relative to the dial plate. The pointer includes a pointer shaft, which is non-opaque to conduct light therethrough. A driver unit includes a drive shaft coaxial with the pointer shaft. A light source emits light. A hub interconnects the pointer shaft with the drive shaft. The hub includes a light pickup, which is non-opaque to receive light from the light source and to conduct the light into the pointer shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignees: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Austin Simpson, Ryo Kunitachi, Jagadeesh Krishnamurthy
  • Patent number: 9764685
    Abstract: A frame member of an instrument cluster assembly. The frame member includes a base portion, a first wing extending from a first side of the base portion, and a second side of the base portion that is opposite to the first side. A display overlapping portion extends from the base portion between the first side and the second side, and is configured to be mounted to a display area of a dial sheet that the frame member is coupled to. The first wing is configured to restrict bending of the dial sheet that the frame member is coupled to.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Koch, Ryo Kunitachi, Brandon Peterson, Ramesh Mishra
  • Publication number: 20170241816
    Abstract: A pointer is rotational relative to the dial plate. The pointer includes a pointer shaft, which is non-opaque to conduct light therethrough. A driver unit includes a drive shaft coaxial with the pointer shaft. A light source emits light. A hub interconnects the pointer shaft with the drive shaft. The hub includes a light pickup, which is non-opaque to receive light from the light source and to conduct the light into the pointer shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2016
    Publication date: August 24, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Austin SIMPSON, Ryo KUNITACHI, Jagadeesh KRISHNAMURTHY
  • Publication number: 20170219392
    Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly including a display screen having a backlight. A pointer is movable to point to different portions of an instrument cluster gauge in order to convey information to a driver or operator. A light guide is included with the pointer. The light guide is configured to receive light from the backlight of the display screen, and illuminate the pointer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 3, 2017
    Inventors: Ryo KUNITACHI, Brandon PETERSON
  • Patent number: 9688147
    Abstract: An instrument cluster assembly is provided and includes a case assembly having a visor attached to a front side of the case assembly, the visor having at least one sound hole. The instrument cluster assembly also includes a dial sheet having at least one indicator. The instrument cluster assembly also includes a lens mounted to the visor such that the at least one indicator of the dial sheet is viewable through the lens. The instrument cluster assembly also includes a speaker that generates sound waves and a sound tube that directs the sound waves from the speaker to the at least one sound hole of the visor such that the sound waves generated by the speaker travel through the sound tube and exit the at least one sound hole of the visor without traveling through the dial sheet and the lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael Koch, Ryo Kunitachi, Brandon Peterson, Joseph Falzon, Amol Deshmukh
  • Publication number: 20170096097
    Abstract: A frame member of an instrument cluster assembly. The frame member includes a base portion, a first wing extending from a first side of the base portion, and a second side of the base portion that is opposite to the first side. A display overlapping portion extends from the base portion between the first side and the second side, and is configured to be mounted to a display area of a dial sheet that the frame member is coupled to. The first wing is configured to restrict bending of the dial sheet that the frame member is coupled to.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Inventors: Michael KOCH, Ryo KUNITACHI, Brandon PETERSON, Ramesh MISHRA
  • Patent number: 9523593
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for a light guide for a vehicle dashboard display having a first display panel. The light guide can include a guide structure secured to the vehicle dashboard display proximate to the first display panel. The guide structure can be configured to transmit light from the first display panel at a first position, through the guide structure, to a second position spaced apart from the first display panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: Denso International America, Inc., DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ryo Kunitachi, Ramesh Mishra
  • Patent number: 9522630
    Abstract: A vehicular display apparatus is provided with an ambient-light luminous region that surrounds an outer periphery of a display region. An ambient light source emits light, which is then guided by an ambient-light guide body into an acrylic cylindrical body. The guided light is then outputted from a light output end face of the acrylic cylindrical body towards a light output direction. The light output end face forms the ambient-light luminous region. The vehicular display apparatus includes a light collection structure that collects an output light, which is outputted from the light output end face, towards the light output direction. Collecting the output light towards the light output direction enables the reduction of a light leakage to a direction different from the light output direction, improving an outputted luminance of the ambient-light luminous region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kobayashi, Ryo Kunitachi, Shinji Kamon
  • Publication number: 20140376204
    Abstract: The present teachings provide for a light guide for a vehicle dashboard display having a first display panel. The light guide can include a guide structure secured to the vehicle dashboard display proximate to the first display panel. The guide structure can be configured to transmit light from the first display panel at a first position, through the guide structure, to a second position spaced apart from the first display panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2014
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Inventors: Ryo Kunitachi, Ramesh Mishra
  • Publication number: 20140355236
    Abstract: A vehicular display apparatus is provided with an ambient-light luminous region that surrounds an outer periphery of a display region. An ambient light source emits light, which is then guided by an ambient-light guide body into an acrylic cylindrical body. The guided light is then outputted from a light output end face of the acrylic cylindrical body towards a light output direction. The light output end face forms the ambient-light luminous region. The vehicular display apparatus includes a light collection structure that collects an output light, which is outputted from the light output end face, towards the light output direction. Collecting the output light towards the light output direction enables the reduction of a light leakage to a direction different from the light output direction, improving an outputted luminance of the ambient-light luminous region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Publication date: December 4, 2014
    Applicants: Denso Corporation, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Kobayashi, Ryo Kunitachi, Shinji Kamon
  • Patent number: 8809714
    Abstract: A manipulation knob is molded from a resin material and is manually depressible by a user. A switch is depressible through the manipulation knob to execute a corresponding switching operation when the manipulation knob is depressed by the user. The manipulation knob includes a resin spring portion, which is molded integrally with the manipulation knob and projects in an axial direction of the manipulation knob. The resin spring portion is resilient and is adapted to exert a resilient reaction force against the switch when the manipulation knob is depressed by the user to depress the switch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Kunitachi
  • Patent number: 8733979
    Abstract: A display device includes a light source, a first light emitting portion, a second light emitting portion, a light modulating portion and a light focusing portion. The first light emitting portion is disposed in a display area and emits a light that is provided by the light source and has a first luminous state. The second light emitting portion is disposed adjacent to the first light emitting portion in the display area and emits a light that is provided by the light source and has a second luminous state different from the first luminous state. The light modulating portion modulates a state of the light emitted from the light source into the first luminous state. The light focusing portion focuses the light modulated by the light modulating portion on the first light emitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Ryo Kunitachi
  • Publication number: 20120188770
    Abstract: A display device includes a light source, a first light emitting portion, a second light emitting portion, a light modulating portion and a light focusing portion. The first light emitting portion is disposed in a display area and emits a light that is provided by the light source and has a first luminous state. The second light emitting portion is disposed adjacent to the first light emitting portion in the display area and emits a light that is provided by the light source and has a second luminous state different from the first luminous state. The light modulating portion modulates a state of the light emitted from the light source into the first luminous state. The light focusing portion focuses the light modulated by the light modulating portion on the first light emitting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo Kunitachi
  • Publication number: 20110290626
    Abstract: A manipulation knob is molded from a resin material and is manually depressible by a user. A switch is depressible through the manipulation knob to execute a corresponding switching operation when the manipulation knob is depressed by the user. The manipulation knob includes a resin spring portion, which is molded integrally with the manipulation knob and projects in an axial direction of the manipulation knob. The resin spring portion is resilient and is adapted to exert a resilient reaction force against the switch when the manipulation knob is depressed by the user to depress the switch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Publication date: December 1, 2011
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Ryo Kunitachi