Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Fukatsu

Tomohiro Fukatsu 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: 8881563
    Abstract: An electric steering wheel lock device including a lock bar which moves between a lock position, at which the lock bar prohibits rotation of a steering shaft, and an unlock position, at which the lock bar permits rotation of the steering shaft. An electric motor generates drive force for moving the lock bar. A motor holding member for holding the electric motor includes a motor fastening portion having two contact portions, which face toward each other, to clamp a casing of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukatsu, Masanari Okuno, Nobuhisa Inoue
  • Publication number: 20100083716
    Abstract: An electric steering wheel lock device including a lock bar which moves between a lock position, at which the lock bar prohibits rotation of a steering shaft, and an unlock position, at which the lock bar permits rotation of the steering shaft. An electric motor generates drive force for moving the lock bar. A motor holding member for holding the electric motor includes a motor fastening portion having two contact portions, which face toward each other, to clamp a casing of the electric motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: April 8, 2010
    Applicants: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukatsu, Masanari Okuno, Nobuhisa Inoue
  • Patent number: 7055351
    Abstract: An electrically-driven steering lock device is provided having a lock body that, if broken while a vehicle is parked, the lock body is divided into a main body portion and a guide portion. A lock pin is inserted through a through-hole of a movable plate and fits into a fit-in hole formed in a lock stopper such that movement of the lock stopper is impeded. A locked state of a steering shaft is thereby maintained. Further, movement of the movable plate in a direction of being pulled-out also is impeded by the lock pin, and an interior of the guide portion is prevented from being exposed. Moreover, the lock pin is provided within the guide portion, and even if the guide portion is viewed from an exterior, it is difficult to learn of a mechanism and a position of the lock pin. Therefore, it is difficult to cancel a locked state. Thus an electrically-driven steering lock device is provided in which it is difficult to cancel the locked state by an illegal act, and which has a good antitheft quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai-Rika-Denki-Seisakusho
    Inventors: Noriyuki Suzuki, Masanari Okuno, Tomohiro Fukatsu
  • Patent number: 7021093
    Abstract: An antitheft system for a vehicle has an electrically-driven steering lock device. In the lock device, due to a lock arm, which is formed integrally with a helical gear, being driven to rotate by a motor, a lock stopper and a lock bar are moved toward a steering shaft and are set in a locked state. Usually, locking is released by the lock stopper and the lock bar being moved toward a side opposite the steering shaft due to elastic urging force of a spring. In a case in which the lock bar catches on an engagement groove and the lock stopper cannot be moved only by the urging force of the spring, a cam, which is rotated integrally with the helical gear, pushes the lock stopper upward such that locking is released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai Rika Denki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukatsu, Masanari Okuno, Noriyuki Suzuki, Shozo Kito
  • Publication number: 20040182121
    Abstract: An antitheft system for a vehicle has an electrically-driven steering lock device. In the lock device, due to a lock arm, which is formed integrally with a helical gear, being driven to rotate by a motor, a lock stopper and a lock bar are moved toward a steering shaft and are set in a locked state. Usually, locking is released by the lock stopper and the lock bar being moved toward a side opposite the steering shaft due to elastic urging force of a spring. In a case in which the lock bar catches on an engagement groove and the lock stopper cannot be moved only by the urging force of the spring, a cam, which is rotated integrally with the helical gear, pushes the lock stopper upward such that locking is released.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2004
    Publication date: September 23, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Tomohiro Fukatsu, Masanari Okuno, Noriyuki Suzuki, Shozo Kito
  • Publication number: 20040148983
    Abstract: In an electrically-driven steering lock device of the present invention, when a lock body is broken while a vehicle is parked, the lock body is divided into a main body portion and a guide portion, a lock pin is inserted through a through-hole of a movable plate and fits into a fit-in hole formed in a lock stopper such that movement of the lock stopper is impeded. A locked state of a steering shaft is thereby maintained. Further, movement of the movable plate in a direction of being pulled-out also is impeded by the lock pin, and an interior of the guide portion is prevented from being exposed. Moreover, the lock pin is provided within the guide portion, and even if the guide portion is viewed from an exterior, it is difficult to learn of a mechanism and a position of the lock pin. Therefore, it is difficult to cancel a locked state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2004
    Publication date: August 5, 2004
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOKAI-RIKA-DENKI-SEISAKUSHO
    Inventors: Noriyuki Suzuki, Masanari Okuno, Tomohiro Fukatsu