Patents by Inventor Tuyoshi Mutou

Tuyoshi Mutou 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).

  • Occupant discriminating method for vehicular seat
    Patent number: 7131513
    Abstract: A flat spring of a vehicular seat is elastically supported by means of supporting springs that extend in accordance with the load of an occupant. The seat has displacement sensors, first-stage determination step, second-stage determination step, and third-stage determination step. The displacement sensors output electrical signals corresponding to the respective elongations of the springs. The first-stage determination step determines the occupant in the seat in accordance with voltage values delivered from the displacement sensors. The second-stage determination step determines whether or not the result of determination by the first-stage determination step is maintained for a given period of time. The third-stage determination step compares the result of determination by the second-stage determination step with the preceding result of determination and specifies the occupant in accordance with the result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2006
    Assignee: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuyoshi Mutou, Takashi Takeshita, Toshihiko Yamaguchi
  • Occupant discriminating method for vehicular seat
    Publication number: 20040159486
    Abstract: A flat spring of a vehicular seat is elastically supported by means of supporting springs that extend in accordance with the load of an occupant. The seat has displacement sensors, first-stage determination step, second-stage determination step, and third-stage determination step. The displacement sensors output electrical signals corresponding to the respective elongations of the springs. The first-stage determination step determines the occupant in the seat in accordance with voltage values delivered from the displacement sensors. The second-stage determination step determines whether or not the result of determination by the first-stage determination step is maintained for a given period of time. The third-stage determination step compares the result of determination by the second-stage determination step with the preceding result of determination and specifies the occupant in accordance with the result of the comparison.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Applicant: NHK Spring Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tuyoshi Mutou, Takashi Takeshita, Toshihiko Yamaguchi