Patents by Inventor Yuji Sato

Yuji Sato 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).

  • Head-protecting airbag device
    Patent number: 9610916
    Abstract: An airbag of a head-protecting airbag device includes a bag body and a connecting member. The bag body includes a general inflatable portion and a terminal inflatable portion adjoining the general inflatable portion and located at a terminal region in a front and rear direction of the bag body. The connecting member is disposed over an outboard side of the terminal inflatable portion and includes at the leading end a mounting portion to be secured to a periphery of a vehicle window. The root end of the connecting member is jointed to a closed portion of the bag body at least by two jointing points disposed away from each other in an up and down direction. The jointing points are generally equally distant from the mounting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2017
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kawamura, Yuji Sato, Masaaki Okuhara, Masashi Hotta, Takuya Hiraiwa, Takashi Iida
  • OCCUPANT PROTECTION APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170088083
    Abstract: An occupant protection apparatus is provided with a first airbag device having a window airbag that protects an occupant in a vehicle and a second airbag device having an adjacent airbag that completes inflation to contact the window airbag for which inflation is completed, thereby protecting the occupant. Where the internal pressure of an inflation chamber at the contact site during contact with the adjacent airbag by the window airbag is P1 and the internal pressure of the adjacent airbag is P2, P1<P2 is satisfied. The wrap amount of the inflation chamber with the adjacent airbag is set as a proportion of a calculated value or less of a predetermined numeric expression.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 21, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Takuya HIRAIWA, Koji KAWAMURA, Yuji SATO, Masaaki OKUHARA
  • HEAD PROTECTION AIRBAG DEVICE
    Publication number: 20170088082
    Abstract: In a head protection airbag device equipped with an airbag, a boundary closing portion is disposed between a main inflation portion and an end-side inflation portion of the airbag at the time of completion of inflation so as to partition the main inflation portion and the end-side inflation portion; the boundary closing portion is provided with a distribution port that is configured to allow the inflating gas from the main inflation portion to flow to the end-side inflation portion, between the upper edge and the lower edge of the peripheral portion; and the boundary closing portion is equipped with a vertical closing portion disposed along a substantially vertical direction on the lower side, and an inclined closing portion that extends in an obliquely upward direction of the main inflation portion from the vicinity of the upper end of the vertical closing portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Masaaki OKUHARA, Koji KAWAMURA, Yuji SATO, Takuya HIRAIWA
  • AIRBAG
    Publication number: 20170088080
    Abstract: An airbag is inflatable in such a manner as to separate a vehicle-side wall which is deployable towards a vehicle body structure and an occupant-side wall which is deployable towards an occupant for catching the occupant. The airbag is configured to be supported by the vehicle body structure on the vehicle-side wall when catching the occupant with the occupant-side wall. The airbag includes a recessed section on left and right sides of and in a vicinity of the center of the occupant-side wall and a tether that connects the bottom of the recessed section to the vehicle-side wall in order to form the recessed section. Opposing walls of the recessed section press each other in a separable fashion when the airbag is inflated. The tether allows gas communication between a central region of the airbag and a peripheral region of the airbag which surrounds the central region, inside the airbag.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Masashi HOTTA, Takashi IIDA, Yuji SATO, Ikuo YAMADA, Mikine HAYASHI
  • FOLDING COMPLETION BODY OF AIRBAG AND AIRBAG
    Publication number: 20170088084
    Abstract: In a folding completion body of an airbag, the airbag includes: an airbag body configured to be stored on an upper edge of a window on an inboard side of a vehicle; and a plurality of mounting pieces which extend from an upper edge of the airbag body and mount the airbag body to the upper edge of the window, the lower edge of the airbag body in a flatly deployed state is folded to be brought close to the upper edge so as to form a folded body; a folding-collapse preventing member is assembled to the folded body; and the mounting piece with the lug is folded and superimposed to the upper edge of the airbag body in the folded body, and the lug is interposed between the folding-collapse preventing member and a surface of the folded body so as to be fixed to the folded body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Koji KAWAMURA, Masaaki OKUHARA, Yuji SATO, Takuya HIRAIWA
  • SIDE AIRBAG APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20170008481
    Abstract: A lateral partition of a side airbag apparatus extends in a front-rear direction to divide the interior of an airbag into an upper inflation chamber and a lower inflation chamber. A vertical partition extends vertically and includes a communication portion. The vertical partition divides the upper inflation chamber into an upper-rear inflation chamber, to which inflation gas from a gas generator is supplied, and an upper-front inflation chamber, to which the inflation gas is supplied via the communication portion. An inner tube regulates the flow of the inflation gas to direct to the upper-rear inflation chamber and the lower inflation chamber. The rear ends of two first fabric portions of the vertical partition are joined to the upper parts of the front ends of two second fabric portions of the inner tube by a first vertical joint portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Inventors: Masashi HOTTA, Takashi IIDA, Yuji SATO, Norio MIZUNO, Yuta OKAYAMA
  • Side airbag apparatus
    Patent number: 9517747
    Abstract: An airbag of a side airbag apparatus includes an upstream inflation portion, which inflates by inflation gas, and deploys frontward at a side of a vehicle seat. An opening is provided at a wall portion of the upstream inflation portion. A pressure regulator valve closes before an occupant is restrained by the upstream inflation portion, thereby restricting the inflation gas in the upstream inflation portion from flowing through the opening. Upon the occupant restraint, the pressure regulator valve cancels the restriction in response to a change in a tensed state of the dividing portion by an external force applied due to the restraint. A tear seam that connects valve body portions of the pressure regulator valve delays the opening time of the pressure regulator valve upon the occupant restraint by the upstream inflation portion relative to the opening time set only by the pressure regulator valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Yuji Sato, Kensaku Honda, Hitoshi Kawabe, Hiroshi Kato
  • AUTONOMOUS VEHICLE DRIVING ASSIST SYSTEM, METHOD, AND PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20160347327
    Abstract: An autonomous vehicle driving assist system, method, and program set a planned route of a vehicle, the planned route including an autonomous driving section where autonomous driving control of the vehicle is permitted, and set a transition exclusion section of the planned route where a transition from autonomous driving control to manual driving is determined to be difficult. The system, method, and program set a transition section of the planned route where the transition from autonomous driving control to manual driving is made, and which excludes the transition exclusion section. Based on the transition section, the system, method, and program determine a section where autonomous driving control is performed in the planned route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 1, 2016
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshito KONDO, Yuji SATO, Ken ISHIKAWA
  • Head-protecting airbag device
    Patent number: 9505371
    Abstract: An airbag of a head-protecting airbag device includes a bag body, a plurality of mounting tabs for mounting an upper edge of the bag body on the vehicle body, and a tension cloth. The bag body includes at its terminal region in a front and rear direction where the tension cloth is located a terminal inflatable portion that is partitioned from a remaining general inflatable portion by a terminal partitioning portion. The terminal inflatable portion is so deployable that its upper end region be deployed on an inboard side of a pillar. The mounting tabs include a terminal mounting tab located at the terminal region where the terminal inflatable portion is located and a general mounting tab located at the general inflatable portion. An upward protruding amount of the terminal mounting tab out of the bag body in an unfolded state is greater than that of the general mounting tab.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Koji Kawamura, Yuji Sato, Masaaki Okuhara, Takashi Iida, Masashi Hotta, Takuya Hiraiwa, Yasushi Okada
  • AUTOMATED DRIVE ASSISTING DEVICE, AUTOMATED DRIVE ASSISTING METHOD, AND PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20160327947
    Abstract: Automated drive assisting devices, methods, and programs acquire position specifying information for specifying a vehicle position during travel, and acquire a continuity degree that represents a degree to which automated drive can be continued on the basis of the position specifying information acquired during the automated drive. The devices, methods, and programs determine whether the automated drive can be continued on the basis of the acquired continuity degree, and determine vehicle control information for controlling a vehicle such that the continuity degree becomes higher on the basis of the acquired position specifying information in the case where it is determined that the automated drive cannot be continued. The devices, methods, and programs output the determined vehicle control information to a vehicle control device that controls the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2015
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ken ISHIKAWA, Yuji SATO, Masaki NAKAMURA, Takayuki MIYAJIMA
  • Posture estimation device, posture estimation system, and posture estimation method
    Patent number: 9480417
    Abstract: Provided is a posture estimation device with which it is possible to estimate the posture of an object having joints with a high degree of precision. A posture estimation device (100) carries out an estimation of a posture of an object on the basis of image data. An object having a plurality of sites which are connected by joints is photographed. The posture estimation device includes a reference model storage unit (140) which stores a reference model, which defines the locations of the sites, for each posture. A weighting computation unit (150) carries out weighting on the sites for each posture such that the weighting of concentrated parts is reduced. A posture estimation unit (160) estimates the posture of the object by applying the weighting and comparing the reference model with the object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoko Kawaguchi, Masamoto Tanabiki, Kensuke Maruya, Yuji Sato, Mitsuko Fujita
  • ENGINE CONTROLLING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160312731
    Abstract: The engine controlling apparatus includes a selector, a setter, and a controller. The selector selects one of a plurality of injection modes according to the operating condition of an engine, where injection rates of a plurality of injectors or the number of injections performed in one stroke of the engine differs among the injection modes. The setter sets a mode correction amount that reflects an output characteristic of a first sensor corresponding to the injection mode. The controller performs feedback control using both a detection signal from the first sensor and the mode correction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro TSUCHIYA, Mitsuhiro YUASA, Kensuke KONDO, Yuji SATO
  • ENGINE CONTROLLING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160312733
    Abstract: The engine controlling apparatus includes a selector and a changer. The selector selects one of a plurality of injection modes according to the operating condition of an engine, where the number of injections performed in one stroke of the engine is different among a plurality of injection modes. The changer changes a map specifying a reference value of a detection signal according to the injection mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro TSUCHIYA, Mitsuhiro YUASA, Kensuke KONDO, Yuji SATO
  • ENGINE CONTROLLING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20160312732
    Abstract: The engine controlling apparatus includes a selector and a changer. The selector selects one of a plurality of injection modes according to the operating condition of an engine, where injection rates of a plurality of injectors differ among the injection modes. The changer changes a map specifying a reference value of a detection signal detected by a first sensor according to the injection mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Publication date: October 27, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro TSUCHIYA, Mitsuhiro YUASA, Kensuke KONDO, Yuji SATO
  • Side airbag apparatus
    Patent number: 9475450
    Abstract: An airbag main body is divided into a first inflation chamber, a second inflation chamber, and a third inflation chamber. The third inflation chamber is inflated beside the lumbar region of an occupant. The vertical partition has a communication hole that connects the first inflation chamber and the second inflation chamber to each other. The airbag main body has a gas passage, which extends in the up-down direction and surrounds at least the gas outlet of an inflator. The gas passage bridges the first inflation chamber and the third inflation chamber. The gas passage has an upper opening, which faces a part of the first inflation chamber that is inflated beside the shoulder region of the occupant. The gas passage also has a lower opening, which faces the third inflation chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Hiraiwa, Yuji Sato, Takashi Iida, Masashi Hotta
  • Side airbag apparatus
    Patent number: 9475446
    Abstract: An airbag is stored in a storage portion provided in a side of the seat back of a car seat and fixed to a side frame portion. The airbag is deployed and inflated by inflation gas that is supplied in response to an impact from a side of the seat back. The airbag displaces a cover main body of a cover sideways from the seat back with a hinge portion function as a pivot, so that the storage portion is opened. The airbag includes an upstream inflation portion, which forms a rear part and receives inflation gas, and a downstream inflation portion, which is located forward of the upstream inflation portion. The downstream inflation portion receives inflation gas via the upstream inflation portion. The upstream inflation portion has a front end that is located forward of a front end of the cover when the upstream inflation portion is inflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masashi Hotta, Yuji Sato, Eiji Sato, Masao Kino
  • ROUTE SEARCHING SYSTEM, ROUTE SEARCHING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20160305787
    Abstract: A route searching system, a route searching method, and computer program are provided that enable selection of an appropriate recommended route for a user in consideration of interruption of automated driving control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji SATO, Masaki NAKAMURA, Takayuki MIYAJIMA
  • ROUTE GUIDANCE SYSTEM, ROUTE GUIDANCE METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM
    Publication number: 20160298976
    Abstract: A route guidance system, a route guidance method, and a computer program are provided that enable a user to understand in advance a section where automated driving control is interrupted. The route guidance system is configured to: when a recommended route from a departure point to a destination including an automated driving section where automated driving control of a vehicle is performed is searched for, acquire candidate routes that are candidates for the recommended route; specify, for each of the candidate routes, an interruption section where the automated driving control is interrupted in the automated driving section included in the candidate route; and provide guidance, for each of the candidate routes, in a manner distinguishing a section that corresponds to the interruption section from a section that does not correspond thereto in the automated driving section included in the candidate route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 16, 2015
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: AISIN AW CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yuji SATO, Masaki NAKAMURA, Saijiro TANAKA
  • Side airbag apparatus
    Patent number: 9428134
    Abstract: An airbag is formed in a bag shape by joining margins of one pair of main body cloth portions. Inflation gas is supplied from an inflator to the airbag according to an impact given from the side of a vehicle seat. With this supply, the airbag deploys and inflates. A longitudinal partition portion is laid between the one pair of main body cloth portions. The longitudinal partition portion partitions an interior of the airbag into a front part and a rear part and has a communication hole. An inside one of the main body cloth portions constituting the airbag is attached to a car. The airbag is attached to a side frame inside the vehicle seat at a position between a rear end of the inside main body cloth portion and the longitudinal partition portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: TOYODA GOSEI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takuya Hiraiwa, Yuji Sato, Takashi Iida, Masashi Hotta
  • Posture estimation device, posture estimation method, and posture estimation program
    Patent number: 9412010
    Abstract: A posture estimation device, which is able to estimate the posture of a humanoid articulated body with high precision, has: a head estimation unit (120) that estimates the position of a person's head from image information for an image that contains a person; a foot estimation unit (130) that, from the image information, estimates the position of the person's foot for which the sole of the foot is parallel to the floor surface; and a posture estimation unit (140) that estimates the posture of the person on the basis of the relative positional relationship between the estimated head position and the estimated foot position. For example, the posture estimation unit (140) estimates the side on which the foot is located, with respect to the head, as the front side of the person.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kyoko Kawaguchi, Tateaki Nogami, Masamoto Tanabiki, Yuji Sato, Kazuhiko Iwai, Mitsuko Fujita