Patents by Inventor Yukifumi Yamada

Yukifumi Yamada 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: 7988233
    Abstract: In a seat reclining device, a spiral spring includes an inner end portion engaged with the cam, an outer end portion engaged with the lower arm, and a wound portion formed by winding and provided between the inner end portion and the outer end portion. The outer end portion of the spiral spring includes a straight line portion extending consecutively from the wound portion and an accommodating portion includes a guide recessed portion accommodating the straight line portion therein and being in contact with the inner peripheral side surface of the straight line portion and being in contact with the outer peripheral side surface of the straight line portion at a further outer end than the contact point with the inner peripheral side surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110115271
    Abstract: A seat reclining apparatus includes a lower arm, an upper arm, plural pawls being movable in a radial direction along guide walls of the lower arm therewithin and including external teeth being engageable with and disengageable from internal teeth of the upper arm, a cam contacting and pressing the pawls in a direction of meshing the external teeth with the internal teeth when the cam is rotated in a locking direction, a biasing member, whose first and second end portions are engaged with an accommodating portion and the cam, respectively, biasing the cam in the locking direction, a restricting protrusion portion formed on a surface of the cam facing the lower arm and slidably contacting an inner surface of the accommodating portion in order to avoid an eccentricity of the cam, and an engagement protruding portion provided on the surface at a position radially inwardly of the restricting protrusion portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukifumi YAMADA, Kazuhide Ishikawa, Shinya Isobe
  • Publication number: 20110089305
    Abstract: A vehicle seat slide device is provided, wherein a manipulation handle has a grip portion, acting end portions for operating lock/unlock mechanisms, shaft support portions which are between the acting end portions and the grip portion and which are formed to a flat shape to become parallel to vertical walls, and pivot support shafts protruding from the shaft support portions in a direction of the pivot center of the manipulation handle. The vertical walls have opened holding holes which open at front parts and into which the pivot support shafts are inserted from opened portions to be supported at inner parts, and holding members holding the pivot support shafts in the opened holding holds.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe
  • Publication number: 20110089306
    Abstract: A vehicle slide device is provided, which can adjustably move the second rail along the first rail without play therebetween in a front-rearward direction with a long adjustment stroke. In the vehicle slide device according to the invention, since a plurality of rolling elements annularly arranged in the attaching portion formed at the second rail are always in contact with the operating surface of the attaching portion and the operating surface of the first rail when the second rail moves relative to the first rail in a front-rearward directions, the play of the second rail relative to the first rail in up-down and right-left directions can be eliminated. Further, since the plurality of rolling elements roll and circulate at the attaching portion, the second rail can smoothly move in a front-rearward direction along the first rail.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2009
    Publication date: April 21, 2011
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe, Hiroyuki Okazaki
  • Patent number: 7909372
    Abstract: A striker apparatus for a vehicle includes a striker adapted to be engaged with a locking member secured at an engaging object and having a pair of base portions, a base member having a pair of attaching holes, a reinforcement member placed on the base member and including a pair of insertion holes opening to face the pair of attaching holes respectively, and a pair of flanges formed at each of base portions being inserted into each of the pair of the attaching holes and each of the insertion holes for holding the base member and the reinforcement member therebetween.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukifumi Yamada
  • Patent number: 7887139
    Abstract: A vehicle seat frame which is lightweight and strong includes a seat cushion frame supporting a seat cushion, a seat back frame supporting a seat back, a recliner rotatably connecting the seat back relative to the seat cushion and adjusting the rotation angle thereof and a shoulder belt anchor provided on the seat back frame for supporting one end of a shoulder belt. The back center frame of the seat back frame includes a hollow quadrangular shape outer peripheral portion and a reinforcement plate provided in the outer peripheral portion and placed in parallel with a direction of load to be applied on the shoulder belt anchor from the shoulder belt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Hiroyuki Okazaki
  • Patent number: 7878592
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a first lock mechanism switching between a first locked state and a first lock-released state and a second lock mechanism switching between a second locked state and a second lock-released state. The first lock mechanism includes a restraining member and a releasing member. The restraining member restrains a pivotal movement of a seatback at a predetermined angle position, at which the seatback does not interfere with a seat cushion moving between a first position and a second position thereof, when the second lock mechanism is in the second lock-released state. The releasing member is linked to the restraining member and releases a restriction to the pivotal movement of the seatback by being moved in association with a movement of the seat cushion when the second lock mechanism is in the second lock-released state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Hiroyuki Okazaki, Kazuya Iwasa
  • Publication number: 20110018325
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat reclining apparatus, a plurality of pawls having outer gears which are disengageably engaged with an inner gear provided on an internal surface of an upper arm are constituted by a first pawl and second pawls. The first pawl has an inner cam portion which is engaged with a cam surface provided on an outer circumference of a cam, a pawl grooved cam portion which is engaged with an engaging protrusion provided on a side surface of the cam, and an engaging portion which is brought into engagement with a protruding portion provided on the internal surface of the upper arm when the upper arm is pivotally moved a predetermined angle relative to a lower arm. The second pawls have engaging protrusions engaged with release plate grooved cam portions provided in a release plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 27, 2011
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7874622
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat reclining device, all projections are surely engaged in corresponding cam grooves and strength of every projection is assured. The seat reclining device includes a first cam groove formed at a first opposing surface of a pawl, a pawl control member provided in an inner space and rotatably disposed between the first arm and the first opposing surface, the pawl control member including at least a first projection to be inserted into the first cam groove and controlling movement of the pawl in response to the rotation thereof by engagement between the first cam groove and the first projection, a second projection formed at a second opposing surface of the pawl and a second cam groove formed at the second arm side, into which the second projection is inserted and including a restricting portion restricting the movement of the pawl towards the engagement state with an internal toothed portion by engagement with the second projection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Okazaki, Yukifumi Yamada, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110012414
    Abstract: In a seat reclining device, which eliminates a gap between a plurality of pawls and a guide wall, a wedge member is provided between at least one of the plurality of pawls and the guide wall, and a cam includes a wedge pressing cam portion for relatively rotating an upper arm relative to a lower arm by pressing the wedge member outwardly in a radial direction. The wedge member is for example made by a spherical or wedge shaped plate like member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7866753
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat reclining device, within a predetermined angle range, the movement of every pawl in a direction towards engagement with an internal toothed portion is surely restricted to avoid any undesired contact between the pawls and the internal toothed portion. A transmitting structure for transmitting and converting the rotational action of the cam to the movement actions of the main pawl and the sub pawl as provided. Further provided are first and second restricting structures holding the main pawl under disengagement state between the external toothed portion and the internal toothed portion within the predetermined angle range. Within a predetermined frontward tilting angle range, the sub pawl is retained to be in disengagement state between the external toothed portion of the sub pawl and the internal toothed portion by the transmitting structure and the second restricting structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Hiroyuki Okazaki, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20110001346
    Abstract: In a seat reclining device, a spiral spring includes an inner end portion engaged with the cam, an outer end portion engaged with the lower arm, and a wound portion formed by winding and provided between the inner end portion and the outer end portion. The outer end portion of the spiral spring includes a straight line portion extending consecutively from the wound portion and an accommodating portion includes a guide recessed portion accommodating the straight line portion therein and being in contact with the inner peripheral side surface of the straight line portion and being in contact with the outer peripheral side surface of the straight line portion at a further outer end than the contact point with the inner peripheral side surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto, Shinya Isobe, Kazuhide Ishikawa
  • Patent number: 7861994
    Abstract: A seat adjustment apparatus of a vehicle that prevents a torque rod from falling off. A torque rod is rotatably supported by through holes, which are provided in a left base frame. The torque rod pivots with respect to base frames through pivoting of rear lifter links. A metal hook member is secured to the torque rod. The metal hook member includes a first engagement portion, second engagement portions, and a third engagement portion. The first engagement portion is passed through the torque rod and engaged with a torsion bar. The second engagement portions are engaged with the torque rod. The third engagement portion is provided at a position radially outward from the second engagement portions and engaged with the left base frame. The torsion bar is fixed to the torque rod through the metal hook member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Kojima
  • Publication number: 20100327138
    Abstract: In a vehicle set slide device, a lower rail has a base portion extending in face-to-face relation with a vehicle floor, two first inside portions extending in close contact upward from a center part of the base portion, and lower hook portions extending outward from upper ends of both of the first inside portions each to take an inverted U-letter shape. An upper rail has vertical wall portions extending downward from both ends of a horizontal wall portion. Further, the upper rail is provided therein with a hook member which has joining portions joined with both of the vertical wall portions and extending downward and upper hook portions extending inward from lower ends of the joining portions each to take a U-letter shape. When a separation load against the lower rail is exerted on the upper rail, the lower hook portions and the upper hook portions are brought into engagements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2008
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Applicant: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Hiroyuki Okazaki, Naoki Goto
  • Patent number: 7857350
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a first seat, a second seat, and a seatbelt mechanism provided at the second seat. A first frame member for supporting the second seat and a first seat slide mechanism for slidably moving the second seat are arranged to be vertically coplanar with the shoulder belt guide member and the belt anchor of the seatbelt mechanism. A first lock member is provided at a second frame member disposed adjacently to the first seat for supporting the second seat. A second lock member is provided at a supporting member for supporting the first seat. The first and second lock members allow a movement of the second frame member in a forward and backward direction of the vehicle and engage with each other for locking the second frame member relative to the vehicle floor when an excess load is received from the seatbelt mechanism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Naoki Goto
  • Patent number: 7845729
    Abstract: A vehicle seat device includes a seat cushion frame and a seatback frame including a lower-side frame supported at a lower end portion thereof to be tiltable relative to a rear end portion of the seat cushion frame, an upper-side frame arranged at an upper portion of the lower-side frame, and a center bending mechanism coupling the lower-side frame and the upper-side frame to be bendable forward, wherein the center bending mechanism bends the upper-side frame about a rotational center that is ahead of a seatback outer layer covering a front surface of the seatback frame. The movement of the upper-side frame when tilted comes close to the movement of the passenger who bends forward. The slip between the seatback outer layer and the back of the passenger can be minimized, and thus, it becomes possible to lessen an uncomfortable feeling of a passenger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Sadao Ito, Naoki Goto
  • Patent number: 7837019
    Abstract: A clutch device for a seat lifting apparatus of a vehicle includes a friction brake portion for transmitting rotation of an operational lever to an output shaft, an output gear provided at the output shaft, a biasing force receiving portion provided at the output shaft for receiving a biasing force which assists a rotation of the output shaft, a first bearing portion provided at one side of the biasing force receiving portion and the output gear and a second bearing portion provided at the other side of the biasing force receiving portion and the output gear. The first bearing portion and the second bearing portion rotatably support the output shaft at both sides of the biasing force receiving portion and the output gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Kojima
  • Patent number: 7832806
    Abstract: A seat apparatus for a vehicle includes a seat cushion frame, a lower bracket fixed to the seat cushion frame, a seatback frame attached to the lower bracket through a reclining mechanism so as to be pivotally supported relative to the lower bracket, two fastening portions fastening the lower bracket and the seat cushion frame, and an engaging portion engaging the lower bracket and the seat cushion frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukifumi Yamada
  • Publication number: 20100253110
    Abstract: A vehicle seat device is designed to perform tilt adjustment of a seat cushion in a construction which is high in rigidity, downsized and high in the quality of external appearance. The device comprises rotational links; floor attached front brackets and front swing links which make couplings between first joint portions of the rotational links and upper rails; flank brackets coupled to the rotational links at front portion thereof; floor attached rear brackets and rear swing links which make couplings between rear portions of the flank brackets and the upper rails; a front drive device secured to one of the flank brackets for rotationally driving the rotational links; and cushion frames coupled to the flank brackets and second joint portions of the rotational links respectively at rear portions and front portions thereof. The second joint portions and the cushion frames are coupled to respective both ends of cushion frame swing links.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2008
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Sadao Ito
  • Patent number: 7789368
    Abstract: A seat slide device for a vehicle capable of preventing generation of noise includes lower rails, upper rails, lock mechanisms, release levers, and stoppers. Each lock mechanism includes a plurality of lock holes provided on the lower rail and arranged in the longitudinal direction of the lower rail and a lock lever provided on the upper rail to be pivotable about a pivot axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the upper rail for engagement with and disengagement from the lock holes. Further, each release lever pivots the lock lever to release the engagement of the lock holes with the lock lever, and each stopper restricts the position at which the release lever remains separated from the lock lever. At least contact portions of the release lever with the lock lever and the stopper are provided with a coating layer made of a resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 7, 2010
    Assignee: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yukifumi Yamada, Yasuhiro Kojima