Patents by Inventor Teruaki Kitano

Teruaki Kitano 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: 7621198
    Abstract: A shift lever device for operation of a transmission of a vehicle having a plurality of shift ranges is provided which includes a lever main body, a housing that movably supports the lever main body, a light source provided at one of the housing and the lever main body; a knob mounted to a distal end portion of the lever main body, and having a transmitting portion, a light guiding portion provided at the knob and guiding light from the light source to the interior of the knob, and a light guiding control portion. The light guiding control portion includes a shutter member operatively connected to and movable with the lever main body which, when the lever main body is positioned at least at one specific shift position, does not block light from the light source to the knob transmitting portion, and which, when the lever main body is positioned at a position other than the specific shift position, is moved to a position blocking the light to the knob transmitting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Kenichi Kako, Noriyasu Shamoto, Isamu Matsushima, Keizo Fukuda, Teruaki Kitano
  • Publication number: 20050039562
    Abstract: A shift lever device in which a shift pattern, shift positions, and the like provided at a knob can be clearly seen without the knob being made to be large. Light is guided to an indicator lens by a light guide, without providing a lamp, which is a light source, at an interior of the knob. Thus, a structure of the knob can be simplified and the knob can be made to be compact. Further, because the light guide is a portion of the structure of the knob, the structure of the knob can be simplified from this standpoint as well.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Kenichi Kako, Noriyasu Shamoto, Isamu Matsushima, Keizo Fukuda, Teruaki Kitano
  • Patent number: 6827753
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separation system includes a cyclone case, a gas outflow pipe including a flange, and a housing that accommodates a valve and is welded to a peripheral edge portion of an upper opening of the cyclone case. An upper opening of a cylindrical portion of the cyclone case is blocked off by the flange of the gas outflow pipe. An annular projection is formed at the flange and at the housing. The annular projections fit together with an annular recess formed in the upper opening edge portion of the cyclone case. The gas outflow pipe and the housing are welded at the upper opening edge portion of the cyclone case. A sealing property can be secured without using seal members, and welding portions are few.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2004
    Assignees: Toyoda Boshoku Corp., Denso Corporation, Honda Girken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Matsubara, Teruaki Kitano
  • Patent number: 6709476
    Abstract: A centrifugal air-oil separator for separating liquid particles from gases containing the liquid particles includes a substantially cylindrical air-oil separation chamber and a substantially conical liquid discharge chamber which are integrated with each other and are horizontally disposed, and an air-oil separation plate disposed between a gas supply port communicating with the air-oil separation chamber and a gas discharge port communicating with the liquid discharge chamber. A liquid discharge port is provided at a lowest portion between a largest-diameter portion of the liquid discharge chamber and the air-oil separation plate, and the liquid discharge port is covered thereabove with a reverse flow prevention wall. A strong swirl flow is generated in the air-oil separation chamber by the action of the air-oil separation plate to thereby enhance the liquid separation effect, and the reverse flow of liquid from the liquid discharge port to the liquid discharge chamber can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 23, 2004
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Toyoda Boshoku Corporation
    Inventors: Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Kato, Shozo Shiraki, Yoshitaka Nishio, Kazuki Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20030172632
    Abstract: A gas/liquid separation system includes a cyclone case, a gas outflow pipe including a flange, and a housing that accommodates a valve and is welded to a peripheral edge portion of an upper opening of the cyclone case. An upper opening of a cylindrical portion of the cyclone case is blocked off by the flange of the gas outflow pipe. An annular projection is formed at the flange and at the housing. The annular projections fit together with an annular recess formed in the upper opening edge portion of the cyclone case. The gas outflow pipe and the housing are welded at the upper opening edge portion of the cyclone case. A sealing property can be secured without using seal members, and welding portions are few.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2003
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Inventors: Kazuki Matsubara, Teruaki Kitano
  • Patent number: 6591820
    Abstract: A PCV valve is incorporated in the interior of a centrifugal oil mist separator which is provided integrally on a head cover of an engine. The centrifugal oil mist separator comprises an upstream-side separation chamber including a blow-by gas inlet port and a downstream-side separation chamber to which a blow-by gas outlet port and an oil discharge hole open, and an oil separation plate is disposed such that a communication between the blow-by gas inlet port and the blow-by gas outlet port is cut off. The oil separator plat is provided at a distal end of a protruding portion which integrally extends from a valve seat of the PCV valve, the protruding portion and the oil separation plate functioning to intensify a swirl flow in the upstream-side separation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Katoh, Shozo Shiraki
  • Publication number: 20030106292
    Abstract: A centrifugal air-oil separator for separating liquid particles from gases containing the liquid particles includes a substantially cylindrical air-oil separation chamber and a substantially conical liquid discharge chamber which are integrated with each other and are horizontally disposed, and an air-oil separation plate disposed between a gas supply port communicating with the air-oil separation chamber and a gas discharge port communicating with the liquid discharge chamber. A liquid discharge port is provided at a lowest portion between a largest-diameter portion of the liquid discharge chamber and the air-oil separation plate, and the liquid discharge port is covered thereabove with a reverse flow prevention wall. A strong swirl flow is generated in the air-oil separation chamber by the action of the air-oil separation plate to thereby enhance the liquid separation effect, and the reverse flow of liquid from the liquid discharge port to the liquid discharge chamber can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Inventors: Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Kato, Shozo Shiraki, Yoshitaka Nishio, Kazuki Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6530367
    Abstract: An engine air-oil separator provided in a head cover for separating oil contents in blow-by gases that are recirculated to an intake system, wherein a centrifugal separation chamber for generating swirl flows in the blow-by gases is formed integrally with the head cover by a rib-like wall protruding inwardly from an internal surface of an external wall of the head cover, whereby since the centrifugal separation chamber can be embedded in the head cover, the space saving can be attained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Akiwa, Masayuki Takahashi, Teruaki Kitano
  • Publication number: 20030024512
    Abstract: A PCV valve is incorporated in the interior of a centrifugal oil mist separator which is provided integrally on a head cover of an engine. The centrifugal oil mist separator comprises an upstream-side separation chamber including a blow-by gas inlet port and a downstream-side separation chamber to which a blow-by gas outlet port and an oil discharge hole open, and an oil separation plate is disposed such that a communication between the blow-by gas inlet port and the blow-by gas outlet port is cut off. The oil separator plat is provided at a distal end of a protruding portion which integrally extends from a valve seat of the PCV valve, the protruding portion and the oil separation plate functioning to intensify a swirl flow in the upstream-side separation chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2002
    Publication date: February 6, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Katoh, Shozo Shiraki
  • Patent number: 6475256
    Abstract: A cyclone type, gas-liquid separator has a gas lead-through pipe penetrating an upper end wall of a cyclone chamber and extending downward to have a gas outlet in the cyclone chamber. A generally annular baffle plate is provided on an outer circumference of the gas lead-through pipe in the vicinity of the gas outlet to generally divide. the inside of the cyclone chamber into upper and lower. spaces. Accordingly, swirl flow formed in the upper space is prevented from being drawn directly by a negative pressure of the gas lead-through pipe without swirling sufficiently, so that separation efficiency is improved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2002
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuki Matsubara, Yoshitaka Nishio, Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Kato
  • Publication number: 20020112710
    Abstract: An engine air-oil separator provided in a head cover for separating oil contents in blow-by gases that are recirculated to an intake system, wherein a centrifugal separation chamber for generating swirl flows in the blow-by gases is formed integrally with the head cover by a rib-like wall protruding inwardly from an internal surface of an external wall of the head cover, whereby since the centrifugal separation chamber can be embedded in the head cover, the space saving can be attained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2002
    Publication date: August 22, 2002
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Akiwa, Masayuki Takahashi, Teruaki Kitano
  • Publication number: 20010005986
    Abstract: A cyclone type gas-liquid separator has a gas lead-through pipe penetrating an upper end wall of a cyclone chamber and extending downward to have a gas outlet in the cyclone chamber. A generally annular baffle plate is provided on an outer circumference of the gas lead-through pipe in the vicinity of the gas outlet to generally divide the inside of the cyclone chamber into upper and lower spaces. Accordingly, swirl flow formed in the upper space is prevented from being drawn directly by a negative pressure of the gas lead-through pipe without swirling sufficiently, so that separation efficiency is improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2000
    Publication date: July 5, 2001
    Inventors: Kazuki Matsubara, Yoshitaka Nishio, Teruaki Kitano, Takaaki Kato