Patents by Inventor Tomoyuki Moro
Tomoyuki Moro 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).
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Patent number: 7988185Abstract: The knee-protecting airbag apparatus includes an airbag folded and housed in a lower area inside the column cover. The airbag pushes and opens a door section on the column cover upon deployment. When the door section is thus opened, a door of the door section blocks off an allowance gap formed between an outer circumference of the column cover subjected to position adjustment and a lower area of a peripheral region of an installation opening on a dashboard for installing the column cover by locating a rear edge region of the door to abut on a rear side of the dashboard or the lower area of the peripheral region of the installation opening on the rear side of the dashboard.Type: GrantFiled: September 27, 2007Date of Patent: August 2, 2011Assignees: Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20110049847Abstract: The knee-protecting airbag apparatus includes an airbag folded and housed in a lower area inside the column cover. The airbag pushes and opens a door section on the column cover upon deployment. When the door section is thus opened, a door of the door section blocks off an allowance gap formed between an outer circumference of the column cover subjected to position adjustment and a lower area of a peripheral region of an installation opening on a dashboard for installing the column cover by locating a rear edge region of the door to abut on a rear side of the dashboard or the lower area of the peripheral region of the installation opening on the rear side of the dashboard.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 27, 2007Publication date: March 3, 2011Inventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Patent number: 7828320Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device of the present invention, in the lower area inside a column cover, a case housing an airbag is attached to a steering column. The steering column includes a movable member for moving toward the front side of a vehicle along the axial direction of the column at the time when an impact on the front of the vehicle acts, and an unmoving stationary member, so that the column can absorb the impact when the movable member moves. The case is attached to such an area of the movable member that the case hits the stationary member when the moving member moves and absorbs impact, and the case can be deformed before or at the time of hitting the stationary member so that the moving stroke of the movable member is preserved when it moves.Type: GrantFiled: October 26, 2007Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Patent number: 7744117Abstract: A knee airbag device for a vehicle includes a gas generation portion that is operated to generate gas; a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state at a predetermined position in a vehicle, wherein when the knee airbag receives the gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed toward an area below a steering column so that the knee airbag is disposed between knees of an occupant and a lower portion of an instrument panel; and a thickness regulation member that is provided in the knee airbag at a position in a contact portion that contacts each of the knees of the occupant, and that regulates the thickness of the knee airbag such that the thickness of the knee airbag at the position in the contact portion is smaller than the thickness of the knee airbag in a portion other than the contact portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 5, 2007Date of Patent: June 29, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Patent number: 7722076Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover inside which a projection body that projects downward toward one side in a vehicle-width direction is disposed in a rear area, and a cylindrical inflator that supplies the gas to the knee airbag to deploy the knee airbag. The inflator is disposed inside the steering column cover such that at least a portion of the inflator is positioned in the rear area inside the steering column cover. The inflator is disposed in substantially parallel with an axis of a column tube such that the inflator is positioned below the column tube. The end portion of the inflator, in which a gas injection port is formed, faces toward a rear of the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2007Date of Patent: May 25, 2010Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabuhsiki Kaisha, Toyoda Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
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Patent number: 7681908Abstract: A knee airbag device includes an airbag module and an airbag door. The airbag module includes a gas generation device that is operated when the knee airbag device is operated, and a knee airbag that is stored in a folded state inside a column cover that covers the rear end portion of a steering column. When the knee airbag receives gas from the gas generation device, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed toward the knee of an occupant. The airbag door, provided in the lower portion of the column cover, is made of a flexible material. When the knee airbag is inflated and deployed, the airbag door is opened toward the knee of the occupant due to an airbag inflation pressure.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2007Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20090322063Abstract: In a knee protecting airbag device of the present invention, in the lower area inside a column cover, a case housing an airbag is attached to a steering column. The steering column includes a movable member for moving toward the front side of a vehicle along the axial direction of the column at the time when an impact on the front of the vehicle acts, and an unmoving stationary member, so that the column can absorb the impact when the movable member moves. The case is attached to such an area of the movable member that the case hits the stationary member when the moving member moves and absorbs impact, and the case can be deformed before or at the time of hitting the stationary member so that the moving stroke of the movable member is preserved when it moves.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 26, 2007Publication date: December 31, 2009Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Patent number: 7600776Abstract: When a knee airbag is deployed, a lid, which is provided in a column cover that covers a steering column, is opened by the deployment pressure of the knee airbag. Thus, an opening, through which the knee airbag expands, is formed to extend in the lower wall portion and the right and left side wall portions of the column cover. At this time, an opening amount regulation portion regulates the opening amount of the lid so that the knee airbag is deployed toward areas on right and left sides of the column cover.Type: GrantFiled: January 3, 2008Date of Patent: October 13, 2009Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Gosei Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Hoshino, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
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Patent number: 7578517Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover. When the knee airbag receives gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed from the inside of the steering column cover toward the knee portion of an occupant. The knee airbag includes an instrument panel-side foundation cloth positioned close to an instrument panel when the knee airbag is deployed, an occupant-side foundation cloth positioned close to the occupant when the knee airbag is deployed, and a first strap and a second strap that connect the instrument panel-side foundation cloth and the occupant-side foundation cloth. When the knee airbag is deployed, the first strap is positioned above the second strap and the length of the first strap in a vehicle-longitudinal direction is set to be larger than the length of the second strap in the vehicle-longitudinal direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2007Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Patent number: 7571929Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover. When the knee airbag receives gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed from an inside of the steering column cover toward a knee portion of an occupant. The knee airbag includes an interference suppression member that suppresses interference between the knee airbag and a projection body inside the steering column cover, which projects downward toward at least one side in a vehicle-width direction, when the knee airbag is inflated and deployed.Type: GrantFiled: November 1, 2007Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20080174091Abstract: When a knee airbag is deployed, a lid, which is provided in a column cover that covers a steering column, is opened by the deployment pressure of the knee airbag. Thus, an opening, through which the knee airbag expands, is formed to extend in the lower wall portion and the right and left side wall portions of the column cover. At this time, an opening amount regulation portion regulates the opening amount of the lid so that the knee airbag is deployed toward areas on right and left sides of the column cover.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Hoshino, Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
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Publication number: 20080122204Abstract: A knee airbag device includes an airbag module and an airbag door. The airbag module includes a gas generation device that is operated when the knee airbag device is operated, and a knee airbag that is stored in a folded state inside a column cover that covers the rear end portion of a steering column. When the knee airbag receives gas from the gas generation device, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed toward the knee of an occupant. The airbag door, provided in the lower portion of the column cover, is made of a flexible material. When the knee airbag is inflated and deployed, the airbag door is opened toward the knee of the occupant due to an airbag inflation pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2007Publication date: May 29, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20080111353Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover inside which a projection body that projects downward toward one side in a vehicle-width direction is disposed in a rear area, and a cylindrical inflator that supplies the gas to the knee airbag to deploy the knee airbag. The inflator is disposed inside the steering column cover such that at least a portion of the inflator is positioned in the rear area inside the steering column cover. The inflator is disposed in substantially parallel with an axis of a column tube such that the inflator is positioned below the column tube. The end portion of the inflator, in which a gas injection port is formed, faces toward a rear of the vehicle.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 8, 2007Publication date: May 15, 2008Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.Inventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada, Yuichi Adachi, Kazuaki Bito
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Publication number: 20080106080Abstract: A knee airbag device for a vehicle includes a gas generation portion that is operated to generate gas; a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state at a predetermined position in a vehicle, wherein when the knee airbag receives the gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed toward an area below a steering column so that the knee airbag is disposed between knees of an occupant and a lower portion of an instrument panel; and a thickness regulation member that is provided in the knee airbag at a position in a contact portion that contacts each of the knees of the occupant, and that regulates the thickness of the knee airbag such that the thickness of the knee airbag at the position in the contact portion is smaller than the thickness of the knee airbag in a portion other than the contact portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 5, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20080106078Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover. When the knee airbag receives gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed from the inside of the steering column cover toward the knee portion of an occupant. The knee airbag includes an instrument panel-side foundation cloth positioned close to an instrument panel when the knee airbag is deployed, an occupant-side foundation cloth positioned close to the occupant when the knee airbag is deployed, and a first strap and a second strap that connect the instrument panel-side foundation cloth and the occupant-side foundation cloth. When the knee airbag is deployed, the first strap is positioned above the second strap and the length of the first strap in a vehicle-longitudinal direction is set to be larger than the length of the second strap in the vehicle-longitudinal direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada
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Publication number: 20080106079Abstract: A knee airbag device includes a knee airbag that is disposed in a folded state inside a steering column cover. When the knee airbag receives gas, the knee airbag is inflated and deployed from an inside of the steering column cover toward a knee portion of an occupant. The knee airbag includes an interference suppression member that suppresses interference between the knee airbag and a projection body inside the steering column cover, which projects downward toward at least one side in a vehicle-width direction, when the knee airbag is inflated and deployed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2007Publication date: May 8, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Osamu Fukawatase, Tomoyuki Moro, Kenji Imamura, Akiyoshi Sanada