Patents by Inventor Yorimitsu Hirata

Yorimitsu Hirata 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: 7690465
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle hood structure disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and supported in an openable and closable manner, which comprises a link member swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a pivot member located on the vehicle body, and a restriction mechanism adapted to couple the link member to a rear end of a hood so as to restrict the link member from being separated away from the hood. The restriction mechanism includes a restricting element located in either one of the link member and the hood, and a restricted element located in the remaining one of the link member and the hood. The vehicle hood structure of the present invention makes it possible to release a coupled state between the link member and the hood according to need, and, facilitate an operation of re-coupling the link member and the hood.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Yorimitsu Hirata
  • Patent number: 7537272
    Abstract: In a safety device of a vehicle, which includes fenders located at both sides of the vehicle to form a front side of the vehicle and a hood covering an upper space between the fenders to form a front portion of the vehicle, there are provided a cowl portion formed in a gutter shape having an opening upward, an actuator operative to lift up a rear portion of the hood relative to the vehicle body, and a bracket to attach the actuator to the vehicle body. Herein, the bracket is placed on the vehicle body from above so as to be laid across the opening of the cowl portion. Accordingly, this safety device can improve the efficiency of operations of attaching the actuator to the vehicle body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Yorimitsu Hirata, Kenji Fujita
  • Patent number: 7520363
    Abstract: A vehicle safety device (13) includes an actuator (17) which thrusts a hood (11) upward from underside at a point close to a rear end of the hood (11) to raise the same by a specific amount when an obstacle is detected, and a mechanical connector (21) which connects the rear end of the hood (11) to the vehicle body (12), the mechanical connector (21) being structured such that, when the actuator (17) raises the rear end of the hood (11), the mechanical connector (21) extends while swinging about a pivot (P) by which the mechanical connector (21) is joined to the vehicle body (12). The mechanical connector (21) includes a rod (24), and a locking part (26) having a through hole (32a) in which the rod (24) is inserted. The locking part (26) engages with the rod (24) in such a manner that the rod (24) can move in only one direction in which the rod (24) is extracted from the locking part (26), and the rod (24) is disengaged from the locking part (26) when turned about a longitudinal axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi, Minoru Takakura, Eiji Shimizu, Yorimitsu Hirata, Mitsuru Wakiie, Arihiro Furumoto, Takashi Ebisugi
  • Publication number: 20070074919
    Abstract: Disclosed is a vehicle hood structure disposed in a front region of a vehicle body and supported in an openable and closable manner, which comprises a link member swingably supported in a pivoted manner by a pivot member located on the vehicle body, and a restriction mechanism adapted to couple the link member to a rear end of a hood so as to restrict the link member from being separated away from the hood. The restriction mechanism includes a restricting element located in either one of the link member and the hood, and a restricted element located in the remaining one of the link member and the hood. The vehicle hood structure of the present invention makes it possible to release a coupled state between the link member and the hood according to need, and, facilitate an operation of re-coupling the link member and the hood.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Publication date: April 5, 2007
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventor: Yorimitsu Hirata
  • Publication number: 20060290172
    Abstract: In a safety device of a vehicle, which includes fenders located at both sides of the vehicle to form a front side of the vehicle and a hood covering an upper space between the fenders to form a front portion of the vehicle, there are provided a cowl portion formed in a gutter shape having an opening upward, an actuator operative to lift up a rear portion of the hood relative to the vehicle body, and a bracket to attach the actuator to the vehicle body. Herein, the bracket is placed on the vehicle body from above so as to be laid across the opening of the cowl portion. Accordingly, this safety device can improve the efficiency of operations of attaching the actuator to the vehicle body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2006
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yorimitsu Hirata, Kenji Fujita
  • Publication number: 20060213709
    Abstract: A vehicle safety device (13) includes an actuator (17) which thrusts a hood (11) upward from underside at a point close to a rear end of the hood (11) to raise the same by a specific amount when an obstacle is detected, and a mechanical connector (21) which connects the rear end of the hood (11) to the vehicle body (12), the mechanical connector (21) being structured such that, when the actuator (17) raises the rear end of the hood (11), the mechanical connector (21) extends while swinging about a pivot (P) by which the mechanical connector (21) is joined to the vehicle body (12). The mechanical connector (21) includes a rod (24), and a locking part (26) having a through hole (32a) in which the rod (24) is inserted. The locking part (26) engages with the rod (24) in such a manner that the rod (24) can move in only one direction in which the rod (24) is extracted from the locking part (26), and the rod (24) is disengaged from the locking part (26) when turned about a longitudinal axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2006
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyoshi Yamaguchi, Minoru Takakura, Eiji Shimizu, Yorimitsu Hirata, Mitsuru Wakiie, Arihiro Furumoto, Takashi Ebisugi
  • Publication number: 20060064845
    Abstract: Disclosed is an automobile hood stopper structure wherein a stopper serving as a cushioning member during closing of a hood attached to a front potion of an automobile body is disposed between the hood and an automobile body member, which comprises a support bracket formed with a support portion supporting the stopper, and attached to the automobile body member. The automobile hood stopper structure is designed such that, when the stopper supported by the support bracket is subjected to the action of a load having a given value or more which is greater than a load acting thereon during closing of the hood, the support bracket is deformed to thereby facilitate a downward movement of the stopper. The automobile hood stopper structure of the present invention can effectively absorb an impact energy during closing of a hood, and effectively cushion an impact load acting in the event of a collision, for example, a collision of a pedestrian's head against a top surface of the hood, in a simplified structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2005
    Publication date: March 30, 2006
    Applicant: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Terumasa Fujii, Kouji Emoto, Arihiro Furumoto, Yorimitsu Hirata