Patents by Inventor Seiji HIODA

Seiji HIODA 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).

  • Publication number: 20230234531
    Abstract: A vehicle passenger seat airbag device includes: an airbag main body that is stored on a lower side of an instrument panel and that is partitioned by an upper partition member to a lower chamber that restrains lower limbs of an occupant and an upper chamber that restrains an upper body of the occupant; and a flow straightening cylinder that is provided so as to be passed through the upper partition member inside the airbag main body and that distributes gas ejected from an inflator to the lower chamber and the upper chamber. The flow straightening cylinder is provided such that a sectional shape of at least a region passing through the upper partition member is provided in a flat shape with its longitudinal direction in a vehicle width direction when the flow straightening cylinder expands and deploys due to ejection of the gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2022
    Publication date: July 27, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji HIODA, Toshimitsu Negishi, Kazuma Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11332096
    Abstract: A knee airbag device includes: an airbag case disposed at a lower face part of an instrument panel; a knee airbag accommodated within the airbag case in a folded state, the knee airbag inflating and deploying toward a vehicle rear side and a vehicle upper side upon being supplied with gas; and an airbag door part disposed at a vehicle lower side of the airbag case, the airbag door part having a substantially U-shaped rupture target part, the rupture target part is open toward a vehicle front side as seen in a plan view, at a portion, of a bottom wall part configuring a vehicle lower side face of the airbag door part, disposed rearward of an intermediate part of the airbag door part in a vehicle front-rear direction, and the portion of the bottom wall part disposed rearward of the intermediate part opening toward a vehicle lower side upon rupture of the rupture target part caused by inflation pressure of the knee airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 11292417
    Abstract: A knee airbag device includes: a knee airbag that is housed in a folded state at a lower end portion of an instrument panel, and that, due to gas being supplied thereto, is inflated and expanded along the instrument panel; an airbag case that houses the knee airbag; an airbag door portion that structures a lower surface of the airbag case, and that, due to a planned rupture portion rupturing due to inflation pressure of the knee airbag, is opened toward a vehicle front side; and a flap that is housed within the airbag case, one end portion of the flap being fixed to the airbag case, another end portion of the flap being a free end, and that, at a time of inflation and expansion of the knee airbag, unfolds, and covers the airbag door portion from a vehicle rear side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 11214213
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: an airbag that is provided on a vehicle front side of a front passenger seat provided in a cabin, inflates as a result of a gas being supplied to the inside of the airbag, and deploys on the vehicle front side of an occupant seated in the front passenger seat; an airbag housing that is provided on the vehicle front side of the front passenger seat and in which is housed the airbag before inflating; and an airbag door that covers the airbag housing from the cabin side and becomes displaced toward the cabin side when the airbag inflates, whereby the airbag door opens the cabin side of the airbag housing. Movement of the airbag in the vehicle width direction after complete deployment is limited by at least part of the airbag door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 11148633
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag device including a curtain airbag inflated and deployed from a vehicle width direction outer side end portion of a ceiling toward a vehicle lower side by gas being supplied into the curtain airbag from an inflator actuated in a vehicle collision to generate the gas; and a front passenger seat airbag inflated and deployed in front of a front passenger seat by gas being supplied into the front passenger seat airbag from an inflator actuated in a vehicle collision to generate the gas, including a first side-wall and a vent hole. The first side-wall configures a vehicle width direction outer side location of the front passenger seat airbag, includes an abutting portion that abuts the curtain airbag when inflated and deployed, and is spaced apart from a front pillar garnish. The vent hole is provided in the first side-wall on the front pillar garnish side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Publication number: 20210162944
    Abstract: A knee airbag device includes: an airbag case disposed at a lower face part of an instrument panel; a knee airbag accommodated within the airbag case in a folded state, the knee airbag inflating and deploying toward a vehicle rear side and a vehicle upper side upon being supplied with gas; and an airbag door part disposed at a vehicle lower side of the airbag case, the airbag door part having a substantially U-shaped rupture target part, the rupture target part is open toward a vehicle front side as seen in a plan view, at a portion, of a bottom wall part configuring a vehicle lower side face of the airbag door part, disposed rearward of an intermediate part of the airbag door part in a vehicle front-rear direction, and the portion of the bottom wall part disposed rearward of the intermediate part opening toward a vehicle lower side upon rupture of the rupture target part caused by inflation pressure of the knee airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10994690
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device including an airbag accommodated within a seatback of a vehicle seat, and inflates and expands between a seated vehicle occupant and a side door, the airbag includes: a main body portion configured to restrain at least from a shoulder portion to a chest region of the seated vehicle occupant; and an extension portion configured to extend toward a vehicle front side or a vehicle rear side at a portion of a height region of the main body portion, and wherein, as seen in a vehicle side view, at a vehicle occupant shoulder portion height region, the extension portion overlaps a vehicle side portion member that structures a portion of a vehicle cabin side wall and that projects-out further toward a vehicle inner side than a side door glass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10988101
    Abstract: A vehicle side airbag device is stored inside a seatback of a vehicle seat and includes an airbag that inflates and deploys between a seated occupant and a side door. The interior of the airbag is partitioned into plural chambers including a high-pressure chamber, and the high-pressure chamber inflates and deploys so as to vertically straddle a door beltline as seen in vehicle lateral view and so as to restrain a shoulder region of the seated occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10800369
    Abstract: A rear seat side airbag device includes a case disposed at a vehicle rear side of a cabin-side wall portion of a seat side garnish. The seat side garnish is disposed between a vehicle side portion and a seatback of a rear seat. The case has an opening portion that opens toward the cabin-side wall portion, and houses an airbag module main body. An airbag door covers the opening portion and is surrounded by a tear portion and a hinge portion formed at regions corresponding to the opening portion. A spacer is disposed on the airbag door and projects out into the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10773680
    Abstract: An oscillation reducing structure for a front passenger seat airbag includes a front passenger seat airbag equipped with a center bag and a friction imparting device. When inflated and deployed, the front passenger seat airbag contacts with a front windshield glass in a first area, and contacts with an instrument panel in a second area. The friction imparting device makes at least one of a coefficient of frictions of the first area and the second area greater than that of other areas of the front passenger seat airbag. The friction imparting device is formed such that a coefficient of friction thereof in a vehicle width direction is greater than in a vehicle front-rear direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10773674
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat back including a movable portion that supports an occupant and moves in a vehicle width direction with respect to a main body frame due to a load in a seat width direction, a hard resin material that is provided at a left and right pair of side portions of the seat back and is capable of crushing deformation at a time of a vehicle side impact, and a seat cover that covers a surface of the hard resin material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10723303
    Abstract: A vehicle curtain airbag device includes: a main body stored between a front pillar and a front pillar garnish as well as between a roof side rail and a roof head lining; a notch portion formed at the main body, and dividing an upper portion of the main body into front and rear sides; a connecting component connecting a front inflating portion at a front side of the notch portion to a vehicle main body, and supporting the front inflating portion so as to inflate at a vehicle width direction outer side of the front pillar garnish; and a holding component holding the front pillar garnish such that the front pillar garnish is movable in the vehicle width direction between an initial position in a pre-inflated state of the main body, and an inflation position, the inflation position being at a vehicle width direction inner side relative to the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Patent number: 10668885
    Abstract: A side airbag device for a rear seat relating to the technique of the present disclosure includes: an airbag module that is provided at an interior of a side garnish that is disposed between a vehicle body side portion and a vehicle transverse direction outer side of a seatback of a rear seat; a tubular flow regulating cloth that is provided at an interior of a side airbag of the airbag module, at a periphery of an inflator; and an airbag door that is provided at the side garnish, and that has a hinge portion and a tear portion at a periphery thereof, and that is pushed by the tubular flow regulating cloth when gas is generated from the inflator, wherein the tubular flow regulating cloth has openings at both ends thereof, and has exhaust holes in a peripheral wall thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AUTOLIV DEVELOPMENT AB
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Yoshinori Beppu, Atsushi Yamada, Takuya Sudo
  • Patent number: 10661747
    Abstract: A curtain airbag device for a vehicle including; a curtain airbag that includes tabs that are anchored at a roof side portion, stowed in the roof side portion in folded state, inflates and expands toward the vehicle lower side, and includes, at a front portion, a front seat oblique collision chamber that inflates to the vehicle lower side relative to a door beltline and is superposed in the vehicle width direction with a door trim; and a swing restriction tab projecting from upper edge portion of front portion of the curtain airbag, anchored at the roof side portion at the vehicle lower side with respect to an imaginary line that runs along the curtain airbag in folded state and passes through anchoring points of the tabs, and restricts upward swinging with respect to the vehicle by the front portion of the inflated and expanded curtain airbag.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Publication number: 20200148153
    Abstract: A knee airbag device includes: a knee airbag that is housed in a folded state at a lower end portion of an instrument panel, and that, due to gas being supplied thereto, is inflated and expanded along the instrument panel; an airbag case that houses the knee airbag; an airbag door portion that structures a lower surface of the airbag case, and that, due to a planned rupture portion rupturing due to inflation pressure of the knee airbag, is opened toward a vehicle front side; and a flap that is housed within the airbag case, one end portion of the flap being fixed to the airbag case, another end portion of the flap being a free end, and that, at a time of inflation and expansion of the knee airbag, unfolds, and covers the airbag door portion from a vehicle rear side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Publication number: 20200148152
    Abstract: An airbag device includes: an airbag that is provided on a vehicle front side of a front passenger seat provided in a cabin, inflates as a result of a gas being supplied to the inside of the airbag, and deploys on the vehicle front side of an occupant seated in the front passenger seat; an airbag housing that is provided on the vehicle front side of the front passenger seat and in which is housed the airbag before inflating; and an airbag door that covers the airbag housing from the cabin side and becomes displaced toward the cabin side when the airbag inflates, whereby the airbag door opens the cabin side of the airbag housing. Movement of the airbag in the vehicle width direction after complete deployment is limited by at least part of the airbag door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Inventor: Seiji Hioda
  • Publication number: 20200079315
    Abstract: A vehicle airbag device including a curtain airbag inflated and deployed from a vehicle width direction outer side end portion of a ceiling toward a vehicle lower side by gas being supplied into the curtain airbag from an inflator actuated in a vehicle collision to generate the gas; and a front passenger seat airbag inflated and deployed in front of a front passenger seat by gas being supplied into the front passenger seat airbag from an inflator actuated in a vehicle collision to generate the gas, including a first side-wall and a vent hole. The first side-wall configures a vehicle width direction outer side location of the front passenger seat airbag, includes an abutting portion that abuts the curtain airbag when inflated and deployed, and is spaced apart from a front pillar garnish. The vent hole is provided in the first side-wall on the front pillar garnish side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Seiji HIODA
  • Patent number: 10532716
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle curtain airbag device including: a rear seat chamber configured to inflate and deploy between the head of a rear seat occupant and a vehicle cabin side section, the rear seat chamber including a restraint face that opposes the head in a vehicle width direction and is angled or curved toward a vehicle width direction outer side, on progression toward a vehicle front side, in a fully inflated and deployed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Koji Ohara
  • Patent number: 10442386
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicular curtain air bag device including a curtain air bag, the curtain air bag including: a rear seat chamber that inflates and deploys between a head of a rear seat occupant and a vehicle interior side section from an upper end section of the vehicle interior side section; and a headrest chamber extending from a rear end section of the rear seat chamber, the headrest chamber inflating and deploying between a headrest of a rear seat and the vehicle interior side section in a vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Seiji Hioda, Kouji Ohara
  • Publication number: 20190256035
    Abstract: An oscillation reducing structure for a front passenger seat airbag includes a front passenger seat airbag equipped with a center bag and a friction imparting device. When inflated and deployed, the front passenger seat airbag contacts with a front windshield glass in a first area, and contacts with an instrument panel in a second area. The friction imparting device makes at least one of a coefficient of frictions of the first area and the second area greater than that of other areas of the front passenger seat airbag. The friction imparting device is formed such that a coefficient of friction thereof in a vehicle width direction is greater than in a vehicle front-rear direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2019
    Publication date: August 22, 2019
    Inventor: Seiji HIODA