Patents by Inventor Toshihiko HIRAI

Toshihiko HIRAI 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: 11158967
    Abstract: An electrical connector that maintains connection stability and enables easy removal so as not to cause any damage during removal with a reduced size and reduced profile. At the time of removal of two connectors, when an operation portion of a locking member of the receptacle connector is pushed inward in the longitudinal pitch direction, a locking piece pushes and spreads an engagement portion of an engagement member outward widthwise, and simultaneously a protrusion portion is also moved outward widthwise, whereby the aforementioned lapped state is released and unlocked, enabling removal. When the operation portion is released, the locking piece is pushed inward widthwise by resiliency of the engagement portion, and the protrusion portion is returned to the initial position corresponding to the position in which the protrusion portion is lapped with a step portion when viewed from the fitting direction at the time of completion of fitting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Soichi Sugaya, Kazunori Takei, Yasuyuki Akiyama, Toshihiko Hirai
  • Publication number: 20210194162
    Abstract: The invention provides an electrical connector with a structure that maintains connection stability and enables easy removal so as not to cause any damage during removal while the size is reduced (particularly, in a widthwise pitch direction) and the profile is reduced. At the time of removal of two connectors 20 and 40, when an operation portion 601 of a locking member 60 of the receptacle connector 40 is pushed inward in the longitudinal pitch direction, a locking piece 602 of the locking member 60 pushes and spreads an engagement portion 502 of an engagement member 50 outward in the widthwise direction, and simultaneously a protrusion portion 501 is also moved outward in the widthwise direction, whereby the aforementioned lapped state is released and unlocked, enabling removal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2018
    Publication date: June 24, 2021
    Inventors: Soichi SUGAYA, Kazunori TAKEI, Yasuyuki AKIYAMA, Toshihiko HIRAI
  • Patent number: 10109942
    Abstract: In an electric connector, a receptacle contact has an elastic portion of at least one curved form between a contact portion and a connection portion. An inclination portion is formed between the elastic portion and the contact portion, and further an enlarged engaging portion communicating with the inclination portion is formed at the side of the contact portion. A housing is provided with the insertion hole for inserting the receptacle contact, and an enlarged locking portion is formed in a position corresponding to the enlarged engaging portion. The enlarged engaging portion is locked by the enlarged locking portion in detachment operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIKURA LTD.
    Inventors: Souichi Sugaya, Toshihiko Hirai, Kazunori Takei, Kiyotaka Yamada
  • Publication number: 20180183168
    Abstract: In an electric connector, a receptacle contact has an elastic portion of at least one curved form between a contact portion and a connection portion. An inclination portion is formed between the elastic portion and the contact portion, and further an enlarged engaging portion communicating with the inclination portion is formed at the side of the contact portion. A housing is provided with the insertion hole for inserting the receptacle contact, and an enlarged locking portion is formed in a position corresponding to the enlarged engaging portion. The enlarged engaging portion is locked by the enlarged locking portion in detachment operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Inventors: Souichi SUGAYA, Toshihiko HIRAI, Kazunori TAKEI, Kiyotaka YAMADA
  • Patent number: 8556640
    Abstract: An electrical connector is miniaturized and reduced in profile height, yet maintains strength and connection stability, uses elastic fixtures as a power source and provides stable fitting. When connectors are fitted with each other, a first contact of an elastic first fixture is brought to contact a second contact of a second fixture to be used as a power source. An inclined portion of a receptacle contact and an inclined portion of an insertion hole of a housing are formed roughly in the same shape to adjust support of the receptacle contact and provide stable connection. A first chamfered portion of the receptacle contact engages a recess of a plug contact to produce a clicking feeling. The first chamfered portions are positioned and brought to contact the recesses so the plug contact is held between a contact portion and an elastic portion of the receptacle contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: DDK Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinichi Mashiyama, Toshihiko Hirai, Yoshinori Iwashita, Hiromichi Kato, Hidenori Ikushima
  • Patent number: 8485832
    Abstract: Upon plug and receptacle connectors of an electrical connector being fitted with each other, positioning recesses of a block of the plug connector engage positioning protrusions of a housing of the receptacle connector to achieve positioning of the two connectors in their width directions. Inclined portions of receptacle contacts of the receptacle connector are commensurate with inclined portions of inserting holes of the housing so that a backup function of the housing for the receptacle contacts is adjusted to obtain a stable connection between the plug and receptacle connectors. First chamfered portions of the receptacle contacts engage recesses of the plug contacts to generate tactile clicks and to achieve the positioning and contacting between the plug and receptacle contacts. The plug contacts are embraced between contact portions and elastic portions of the receptacle contacts to obtain a stable connection between the both contacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: DDK Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinichi Mashiyama, Toshihiko Hirai, Yoshinori Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20130012074
    Abstract: An electrical connector is miniaturized and reduced in profile height, yet maintains strength and connection stability, uses elastic fixtures as a power source and provides stable fitting. When connectors are fitted with each other, a first contact means of an elastic first fixture is brought to contact a second contact means of a second fixture to be used as a power source. An inclined portion of a receptacle contact and an inclined portion of an insertion hole of a housing are formed roughly in the same shape to adjust support of the receptacle contact and provide stable connection. A first chamfered portion of the receptacle contact engages a recess of a plug contact to produce a clicking feeling. The first chamfered portions are positioned and brought to contact the recesses so the plug contact is held between a contact portion and an elastic portion of the receptacle contact.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: DDK LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi MASHIYAMA, Toshihiko HIRAI, Yoshinori IWASHITA, Hiromichi KATO, Hidenori IKUSHIMA
  • Publication number: 20120289096
    Abstract: Upon plug and receptacle connectors of an electrical connector being fitted with each other, positioning recesses of a block of the plug connector engage positioning protrusions of a housing of the receptacle connector to achieve positioning of the two connectors in their width directions. Inclined portions of receptacle contacts of the receptacle connector are commensurate with inclined portions of inserting holes of the housing so that a backup function of the housing for the receptacle contacts is adjusted to obtain a stable connection between the plug and receptacle connectors. First chamfered portions of the receptacle contacts engage recesses of the plug contacts to generate tactile clicks and to achieve the positioning and contacting between the plug and receptacle contacts. The plug contacts are embraced between contact portions and elastic portions of the receptacle contacts to obtain a stable connection between the both contacts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: DDK LTD.
    Inventors: Jinichi MASHIYAMA, Toshihiko HIRAI, Yoshinori IWASHITA
  • Patent number: D688210
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: DDK Ltd.
    Inventors: Jinichi Mashiyama, Toshihiko Hirai, Yosinori Iwashita, Hiromichi Kato, Hidenori Ikushima, Kenji Nakagawa, Yasushi Kawabara, Kazuhiro Sato, Taishi Otokata