Patents by Inventor Shuichi Aso

Shuichi Aso 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: 11668816
    Abstract: An installation structure for a vicinity information detection sensor includes the vicinity information detection sensor and a vibration absorbing member. The vicinity information detection sensor includes a detector attached to a vehicle inner side of an outer panel of a vehicle body and configured to radiate electromagnetic waves that function as radar waves that detect vicinity information of a vehicle, and a motor provided in the detector and configured to change a radiation direction of the electromagnetic waves. The vibration absorbing member is placed between the outer panel and the vicinity information detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20230058709
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle control device controls an autonomous vehicle provided with a warning sound output device. The autonomous vehicle control device prohibits transition to a traveling mode when an abnormality occurs in the warning sound output device. Before traveling, the autonomous vehicle control device may execute sound output control to cause the warning sound output device to output a warning sound, and determine whether the abnormality occurs based on output data of the warning sound output by the warning sound output device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventor: Shuichi ASO
  • Patent number: 10988184
    Abstract: A fender structure for a vehicle includes: a fender panel that is disposed on a lateral surface of a vehicle-body front portion; a reinforcing member that supports the fender panel from the inner side in the vehicle width direction; a first engagement portion that is able to engage with a top end portion of the fender panel; a second engagement portion that is able to engage with a bottom end portion of the fender panel; and a spring portion that biases the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion with an elastic restoring force in the vehicle height direction in which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are separated from each other in a state in which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion engage with the top end portion and the bottom end portion of the fender panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20200072964
    Abstract: An installation structure for a vicinity information detection sensor includes the vicinity information detection sensor and a vibration absorbing member. The vicinity information detection sensor includes a detector attached to a vehicle inner side of an outer panel of a vehicle body and configured to radiate electromagnetic waves that function as radar waves that detect vicinity information of a vehicle, and a motor provided in the detector and configured to change a radiation direction of the electromagnetic waves. The vibration absorbing member is placed between the outer panel and the vicinity information detection sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Inventor: Shuichi ASO
  • Patent number: 10578270
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle lamp, the vehicle lamp including a light source that emits light, and a light-guiding component that includes (i) a light-guiding component main body having an end portion at one end in a longitudinal direction thereof through which light from the light source is guided in and having an emission surface from which light reflected by a step portion is emitted out, and also having pairs of inclined surfaces that, when looked at in a cross-sectional view taken in the longitudinal direction thereof, extend on an inclination relative to the emission surface and are disposed facing each other, a plurality of the pairs of inclined surfaces being disposed in the longitudinal direction, and (ii) differential refractive index layers that are interposed between the pairs of inclined surfaces and have a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the light-guiding component main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20200031403
    Abstract: A fender structure for a vehicle includes: a fender panel that is disposed on a lateral surface of a vehicle-body front portion; a reinforcing member that supports the fender panel from the inner side in the vehicle width direction; a first engagement portion that is able to engage with a top end portion of the fender panel; a second engagement portion that is able to engage with a bottom end portion of the fender panel; and a spring portion that biases the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion with an elastic restoring force in the vehicle height direction in which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are separated from each other in a state in which the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion engage with the top end portion and the bottom end portion of the fender panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2019
    Publication date: January 30, 2020
    Inventor: Shuichi ASO
  • Patent number: 10302053
    Abstract: A fuel tank structure comprising a fuel tank; a canister; a first pipe that joins together a holding portion of the fuel tank and the canister; a first shut-off valve provided at the first pipe; a filler pipe; a second pipe that joins together the filler pipe and the canister; a second shut-off valve provided at the second pipe; a pressure sensor that detects the pressure inside the holding portion; a fuel pump that feeds the fuel to an engine; and a control unit. The control unit opens the first shut-off valve during refueling such that evaporative fuel is permitted to move from the holding portion to the canister, and closes the first shut-off valve after refueling. The control unit opens the second shut-off valve when the pressure inside the holding portion detected by the pressure sensor drops below a predetermined pressure which is lower than the atmospheric pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 10259314
    Abstract: A fuel tank system 12 includes: a communicating pipe 30 that has plural open portions 54A and 54B positioned higher than a full level inside a fuel tank 14 and communicates the inside of the fuel tank 14 with a canister 32; and a valve member 42 that is disposed outside the fuel tank 14 and, on the basis of a state of inclination of fuel detected by a fuel inclination sensor 60, closes the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in the fuel and opens the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in a gas layer section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuichi Aso, Shinsuke Kinoshita
  • Patent number: 10202036
    Abstract: In a fuel tank, high-rigidity portions are formed to protrude to an inner side from a part of a wall portion inside the fuel tank, the wall portion defining a closed space. A built-in part is fixed to the high-rigidity portions, and is also fixed to the horizontal portion. Therefore, when the fuel tank is deformed, deformation of the high-rigidity portions is restrained, so displacement of the built-in part is restrained. As a result, deformation is restrained in the horizontal portion of the fuel tank fixed to the built-in part that is restrained from being displaced when the fuel tank is deformed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke Tanabe, Shuichi Aso, Chiaki Kataoka
  • Patent number: 10166861
    Abstract: A fuel tank structure including: a fuel tank that is mounted to an automobile and that stores fuel; a bat shaped member that is fixed to a ceiling portion inside the fuel tank, and that maintains a contact state with the fuel by expanding or contracting according to a fluid surface height of file stored inside the fuel tank; a pump housing recessed portion that is formed to a bottom portion of the fuel tank with a fuel pump disposed therein; and a fuel flow path that is in communication with the pump housing messed portion and that extends from the pump housing recessed portion in a groove shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 10106029
    Abstract: A fuel tank structure includes: a fuel tank that is installed in an automobile and that accommodates fuel; a bag-shaped member that is fixed to a ceiling portion of an interior of the fuel tank, and that can inflate and deflate; and a supporting plate that is provided at the bag-shaped member at a position facing a bottom portion of the fuel tank, the supporting plate having a specific gravity that is lower than a specific gravity of the fuel and causing the bag-shaped member to inflate toward the bottom portion of the fuel tank due to a weight of the supporting plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 10060822
    Abstract: An inter-flap space 36 between an outside flap 24 and an inside flap 44 of a filler pipe 16 is placed in communication with the inside of a fuel tank 14 using a communication pipe 62, and an open and close valve 64 is provided to the communication pipe 62. Further provided are a pressure reduction pump 82 that depressurizes the fuel tank 14, an internal tank pressure sensor 68 that detects an internal tank pressure of the fuel tank 14, and a controller that controls opening and closing of the open and close valve 64 and driving of the pressure reduction pump 82, and that determines an outside flap seal state of the outside flap 24 based on the internal tank pressure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 10024470
    Abstract: A fuel tank fueling portion structure includes: a fueling pipe that is in fluid communication with a fuel tank, the fueling pipe being provided with a fueling opening; a lid that is openably and closably provided at a vehicle body, the lid in a closed state covering the fueling opening from a vehicle body outer side; an on-off valve that is provided at a flow channel inside the fueling pipe and closes off the flow channel, the on-off valve opening up the flow channel when pressed by the fueling nozzle; and a valve retention device that is provided in the fueling pipe, the valve retention device retaining an open state of the on-off valve that has been opened by pressing from the fueling nozzle, and releasing the retention of the open state of the on-off valve when the lid goes into a closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 10005356
    Abstract: A refueling portion structure of a fuel tank has: a refueling pipe that has a refueling port; an opening/closing valve that is provided on a flow path within the refueling pipe; an accommodating portion that is provided at an outer side of the refueling pipe, that accommodates at an interior thereof an adsorbing material that adsorbs vapor fuel that has formed due to the liquid fuel evaporating, that communicates with the flow path further toward the refueling port side than the opening/closing valve, and into which the liquid fuel can flow; an atmospheric air passage, by which the accommodating portion communicates with atmospheric air; and a vapor movement passage, by which the accommodating portion communicates with an engine, and that is for moving vapor that is within the accommodating portion to the engine due to negative pressure from the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20180106456
    Abstract: There is provided a vehicle lamp, the vehicle lamp including a light source that emits light, and a light-guiding component that includes (i) a light-guiding component main body having an end portion at one end in a longitudinal direction thereof through which light from the light source is guided in and having an emission surface from which light reflected by a step portion is emitted out, and also having pairs of inclined surfaces that, when looked at in a cross-sectional view taken in the longitudinal direction thereof, extend on an inclination relative to the emission surface and are disposed facing each other, a plurality of the pairs of inclined surfaces being disposed in the longitudinal direction, and (ii) differential refractive index layers that are interposed between the pairs of inclined surfaces and have a lower refractive index than the refractive index of the light-guiding component main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi ASO
  • Patent number: 9863376
    Abstract: A canister structure comprising: a canister 28 in which activated carbon 44 is accommodated, the activated carbon 44 being for adsorbing evaporated fuel produced in a fuel tank; an atmosphere vent tube 30 connected to the canister28, the atmosphere vent tube 30 introducing air into the canister 28 and causing evaporated fuel adsorbed by the activated carbon 44 to be desorbed when a negative pressure acts in the canister 28; and a fuel pump controller 46 disposed in the canister28, the fuel pump controller 46 controlling flow rates of fuel being supplied from the fuel tank to an engine, and the fuel pump controller 46 generating heat due to being operated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 9834089
    Abstract: A fuel tank structure includes: a fuel tank that is installed in an automobile and that accommodates fuel; a bag-shaped member that is fixed to a ceiling portion of an interior of the fuel tank, and whose state of contact with a liquid surface of fuel accommodated in the fuel tank is maintained due to the bag-shaped member inflating or deflating in accordance with a height of the liquid surface; a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of the fuel or evaporated fuel that is within the fuel tank; and a cooling wind introducing section that introduces cooling wind into an interior of the bag-shaped member in a case in which the temperature of the fuel or the evaporated fuel detected by the temperature sensor becomes higher than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 9783045
    Abstract: A fuel tank system is obtained, in which internal pressure does not readily increase and in which there is no need to secure a space for deformation at the periphery of the fuel tank. A vapor pipe is connected to a fuel tank, and an atmosphere release pipe is connected through a canister. An electromagnetic valve is attached to the vapor pipe, communicating a gas layer at an upper portion inside the fuel tank with the external atmosphere by opening the electromagnetic valve. A thinned deformation location capable of indentation-deformation towards the inside is provided at an upper wall portion of the fuel tank. A negative pressure pump is provided to reduce the pressure inside the fuel tank, causing the deformation location to indentation-deform towards the inside. The fuel tank is sealed by closing the electromagnetic valve in a state in which the deformation location is indentation-deformed towards the inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 9783043
    Abstract: There is provided a fuel tank structure, the fuel tank structure including (1) a bag-shaped member that partitions a space within a fuel tank into a first space at an outer side and a second space at an inner side, (2) a first pressure sensor that senses pressure of the first space, (3) a second pressure sensor that senses pressure of the second space, (4) a pump that reduces pressure of the first space, and (5) a control section that, in a case in which the pressure of the first space is higher than a first threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the fuel tank, and, in a case in which the pressure of the second space is lower than a second threshold value, judges that a hole has formed in the bag-shaped member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Publication number: 20170151867
    Abstract: A fuel tank system 12 includes: a communicating pipe 30 that has plural open portions 54A and 54B positioned higher than a full level inside a fuel tank 14 and communicates the inside of the fuel tank 14 with a canister 32; and a valve member 42 that is disposed outside the fuel tank 14 and, on the basis of a state of inclination of fuel detected by a fuel inclination sensor 60, closes the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in the fuel and opens the communicating pipe corresponding to an open portion predicted to be positioned in a gas layer section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2016
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuichi ASO, Shinsuke KINOSHITA