Patents by Inventor Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO

Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO 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: 11972394
    Abstract: A shelf inventory management system includes: a shelf installed in a house; a sensor that detects that an article is taken out from the shelf; a management unit that manages an inventory status of the article stored in the shelf, based on a detection result of the sensor; and a terminal for notifying a user of information related to the article stored in the shelf. The management unit stores, for each user, a taken out amount of each health-related product a consumption amount of which affects health, of the article stored in the shelf, and is able to output the taken out amount of each health-related product to the terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Junya Ota, Kunihiro Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 11958195
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a detection system used in a case where a transport robot transports a package in a state where the package in which an opening portion of a container is closed by a lid is placed on a placing portion of the transport robot. The detection system is configured to detect that the lid is opened.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaro Takagi, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Patent number: 11952029
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in a predetermined direction; and a lock mechanism. The rack can house all returnable containers of one or more prespecified sizes along the respective pairs of supports. The M pairs of supports are arrayed in N rows in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. The lock mechanism is configured such that moving first and second shafts that are provided for the respective rows and for the respective tiers, respectively, so as to be movable in the predetermined direction can switch between engagement and disengagement between branches of the first and second shafts and first and second holes, respectively, of the returnable containers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Patent number: 11946290
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M (an integer not less than three) pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in a predetermined direction (a height direction or a left-right direction); and a lock mechanism. The rack can house all returnable containers of one or more prespecified sizes along the respective pairs of supports. The lock mechanism includes N (an integer not less than two and meeting N<M?2N?1) shafts that are movable in the predetermined direction. Branches are provided on the shafts such that a combination of engagement and disengagement between the branches and holes provided in protrusions of the returnable container is different in each of the returnable containers housed on the respective M pairs of supports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Publication number: 20230417308
    Abstract: An extension pipe includes a first belt including a plurality of first engagement pins formed on an upper side along the upper side and a plurality of second engagement pins formed on a lower side along the lower side, a second belt including a plurality of first engagement holes formed on the upper side along the upper side and a plurality of second engagement holes formed on the lower side along the lower side, and a first guide part including a spiral groove configured to spirally guide the first belt and the second belt. A difference between a length of a first trajectory in which each of the first engagement pins moves along the spiral groove and a length of a second trajectory in which each of the second engagement pins moves along the spiral groove is less than half a circumference of the spiral groove.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2023
    Publication date: December 28, 2023
    Inventors: Hirotaka KOMURA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO
  • Patent number: 11544483
    Abstract: A detection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of proximity sensors provided in a mounting portion of a transport robot; an information acquisition unit that is provided in the mounting portion of the transport robot and that acquires information from an integrated circuit (IC) tag provided in a standard object; and an estimation unit that estimates a placement status of the standard object based on detection results of the proximity sensors and an acquisition result of the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaro Takagi, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Publication number: 20220274777
    Abstract: A rack includes a pair of first rail portions extending in a depth direction for supporting protrusions, a pair of first gradient portions inclining downward toward a front surface of the rack, a pair of second rail portions facing the pair of the first rail portions, and a pair of second gradient portions inclining upward toward the front surface of the rack. A transport robot includes a top plate on which an object is placed, an elevating portion that raises and lowers the top plate, one or more load sensors provided on the top plate, and a control unit for controlling the elevating portion based on measurement results.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2022
    Publication date: September 1, 2022
    Inventors: Junya OTA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220270030
    Abstract: A shelf inventory management system includes: a shelf installed in a house; a sensor that detects that an article is taken out from the shelf; a management unit that manages an inventory status of the article stored in the shelf, based on a detection result of the sensor; and a terminal for notifying a user of information related to the article stored in the shelf. The management unit stores, for each user, a taken out amount of each health-related product a consumption amount of which affects health, of the article stored in the shelf, and is able to output the taken out amount of each health-related product to the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Junya OTA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220270029
    Abstract: A shelf inventory management system according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes: a shelf including a plurality of storage boxes, each of which is identified; a mass sensor that detects a mass change of the storage boxes; and a management unit that manages an inventory of articles stored in each of the storage boxes. The management unit determines an article taken out from any of the storage boxes, based on the mass change detected by the mass sensor. The shelf inventory management system further includes a sorting robot that sorts purchased articles into the storage boxes. The management unit controls the sorting robot such that the sorting robot stores different kinds of articles having the same mass in separate storage boxes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Yuta Itozawa, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Publication number: 20220270031
    Abstract: A shelf inventory management system includes: a shelf including storage boxes that is each identified; a first sensor that detects a mass change of the storage boxes; a management unit that manages an inventory of an article stored in each storage box, based on a detection result of the first sensor; and a terminal for notifying a user of information related to the article stored in each storage box. The management unit stores the article stored in each storage box and an expiration date related to consumption of the article in association with each other, and outputs to the terminal reminder information for notifying that the expiration date of the article is approaching, when a period until the expiration date of the article not detected by the first sensor falls below a predetermined standard.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Yuta ITOZAWA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220267091
    Abstract: A transport system includes a transport robot configured to transport an item picked up from a shelving unit or to be stored into the shelving unit, wherein: the transport robot includes a placing table on which the item is to be placed, and a lifting mechanism configured to lift and lower the placing table; and the placing table includes an engaging portion configured to engage with the shelving unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2022
    Publication date: August 25, 2022
    Inventors: Junya Ota, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yutaro Takagi, Yoshiaki Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20220261751
    Abstract: A management system manages the placement of an order for consumed goods based on a delivery period. The management system includes a prediction unit configured to predict a consumption completion period, which is a period from the start to the completion of consumption of a predetermined quantity of goods, based on a consumption history of the goods and a determination unit configured to determine whether the delivery period needs to be changed based on the prediction result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Hirotaka KOMURA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220251882
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in a predetermined direction; and a lock mechanism that locks returnable containers housed while being supported so as to be slidable along the respective M pairs of supports. The lock mechanism has M rotary lock main bodies that are respectively provided at the M pairs of supports and each unlock at a predetermined rotation angle, and a coupling member that couples the M rotary lock main bodies to one another and allows them to rotate in conjunction with one another. The predetermined rotation angle for unlocking is different for each of the M rotary lock main bodies, and the M rotary lock main bodies are driven to rotate by a single driving source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220250669
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in a predetermined direction; and a lock mechanism. The rack can house all returnable containers of one or more prespecified sizes along the respective pairs of supports. The M pairs of supports are arrayed in N rows in an orthogonal direction orthogonal to the predetermined direction. The lock mechanism is configured such that moving first and second shafts that are provided for the respective rows and for the respective tiers, respectively, so as to be movable in the predetermined direction can switch between engagement and disengagement between branches of the first and second shafts and first and second holes, respectively, of the returnable containers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2022
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220250837
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in an up-down direction; and a lock mechanism that locks returnable containers each housed while being supported so as to be slidable along one pair of supports. The casing of the rack is divided into N rows by (N?1) partition plates, with the M pairs of supports provided in each row, to be able to house a maximum of (M×N) returnable containers. The lock mechanism is provided in each of the (N?1) partition plates so as to extend through the partition plate and correspond to each tier, and simultaneously locks two returnable containers that are housed adjacent to each other on one side and the other side of the partition plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220251881
    Abstract: A rack includes: a casing; M (an integer not less than three) pairs of supports that are provided inside the casing so as to extend in a depth direction and arrayed at regular intervals in a predetermined direction (a height direction or a left-right direction); and a lock mechanism. The rack can house all returnable containers of one or more prespecified sizes along the respective pairs of supports. The lock mechanism includes N (an integer not less than two and meeting N<M?2N?1) shafts that are movable in the predetermined direction. Branches are provided on the shafts such that a combination of engagement and disengagement between the branches and holes provided in protrusions of the returnable container is different in each of the returnable containers housed on the respective M pairs of supports.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2021
    Publication date: August 11, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220241966
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present disclosure relates to a detection system used in a case where a transport robot transports a package in a state where the package in which an opening portion of a container is closed by a lid is placed on a placing portion of the transport robot. The detection system is configured to detect that the lid is opened.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2021
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Inventors: Yutaro Takagi, Kunihiro Iwamoto, Yuta Itozawa, Hirotaka Komura, Yoshiaki Nakamoto, Junya Ota
  • Publication number: 20220242663
    Abstract: A control device for a conveyance robot including a telescopic portion which is extensible in a height direction is provided. The control device includes an estimation unit configured to estimate a natural frequency of the conveyance robot according to an amount of extension of the telescopic portion and a control unit configured to control a drive mechanism of the conveyance robot such that the natural frequency of the conveyance robot and an angular frequency of a vibration generating portion when the conveyance robot operates do not match.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2022
    Publication date: August 4, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya OTA, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yutaro TAKAGI, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20220234826
    Abstract: An opening-closing control device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is an opening-closing control device of a door of an accommodating portion to and from which a robot loads and unloads an object, in which the opening-closing control device includes: a state acquisition unit that acquires a state of the robot; and a control unit that controls a drive unit of the door for opening and closing the door based on the state of the robot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Yutaro TAKAGI, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA
  • Publication number: 20220237394
    Abstract: A detection system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a plurality of proximity sensors provided in a mounting portion of a transport robot; an information acquisition unit that is provided in the mounting portion of the transport robot and that acquires information from an integrated circuit (IC) tag provided in a standard object; and an estimation unit that estimates a placement status of the standard object based on detection results of the proximity sensors and an acquisition result of the information acquisition unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 28, 2022
    Inventors: Yutaro TAKAGI, Kunihiro IWAMOTO, Yuta ITOZAWA, Hirotaka KOMURA, Yoshiaki NAKAMOTO, Junya OTA