Patents by Inventor Akihiko Togashi

Akihiko Togashi 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: 5480221
    Abstract: A control method and an apparatus therefor, in which the braking force distribution to rear wheels is increased in a normal state, while the braking force distribution to the rear wheels is reduced to prevent the rear wheels from being locked in an early stage when the road surface is slippery. There are provided a pressure sensor (74) for detecting a master cylinder pressure, proportioning valves (57.sub.1, 57.sub.2) arranged in passages which connect a master cylinder and rear wheel cylinders and adapted to operate so that the ratios of the wheel cylinder pressures to the master cylinder pressure are low in a region where the master cylinder pressure is not lower than a predetermined pressure, normally-open switching valves (62, 63) by-passing the two valves, and a controller (71).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 2, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Morita, Tsutomu Matsukawa, Hiromichi Yasunaga, Tadao Tanaka, Akihiko Togashi, Yasutaka Taniguchi, Masanori Tani
  • Patent number: 5450322
    Abstract: A system is for controlling a suspension performance detecting the road surface condition in front of an automotive vehicle. A road surface sensor generates an output corresponding to the size of roughness on a road surface located at a predetermined distance in front of the vehicle. A suspension damping coefficient is changed to a smaller value upon lapse of a delay time. The delay time is calculated on the basis of the output of a speed sensor, the delay time being the time required for the wheel to reach the detected rough roads surface. The changing of the suspension damping coefficient occurs on condition that the output of the road surface sensor falls within a control region defined by a lower threshold value and an upper threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1995
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadao Tanaka, Takao Morita, Akihiko Togashi, Naohiro Kishimoto, Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5347457
    Abstract: A vehicular suspension control apparatus includes a selector valve for changing at least one of spring rigidity or damper rigidity of a suspension which is installed between a wheel and a body of a vehicle and extensibly and retractably supports the vehicle body on the wheel, a forward road surface sensor attached to the vehicle body and adapted to detect an irregularity of a road surface located in front of the vehicle body at a predetermined distance from the mounting position of the sensor when the vehicle body is in a predetermined attitude, a vehicle speed sensor for detecting a vehicle speed, and a controller for calculating a point of time when the wheel reaches the irregularity of the road surface, in accordance with the vehicle speed detected by the vehicle speed sensor, when the irregularity of the road surface is detected by the forward road surface sensor, and delivering a command signal for lowering at least one of the spring rigidity and the damper rigidity of the suspension to the selector valv
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 13, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadao Tanaka, Takao Morita, Akihiko Togashi, Naohiro Kishimoto, Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5332296
    Abstract: A rear wheel braking force control apparatus of a vehicle includes a pressure sensor 74 for detecting master cylinder pressure, right and left proportioning valves 57.sub.1 and 57.sub.2 individually disposed in passages for transmitting master cylinder pressure to right and left wheel cylinders of the rear wheels for controlling to decrease changes in wheel cylinder pressure relative to changes in master cylinder pressure, right and left PCV bypass valves 62 and 63 for individually bypassing the proportioning valves, and a controller 71 which, when the vehicle is determined by a steering angle sensor 77 or the like to be turning, closes the PCV bypass valve at the outer wheel side when the master cylinder pressure is higher than the pressure of the PCV bypass valve at the inner wheel side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 26, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Morita, Tsutomu Matsukawa, Hiromichi Yasunaga, Tadao Tanaka, Akihiko Togashi, Yasutaka Taniguchi, Masanori Tani
  • Patent number: 5322319
    Abstract: An active suspension apparatus is provided for a vehicle which includes an actuator being extensible and retractable and provided between a vehicle body and a wheel so that the force of the vehicle body to support the wheel is adjustable, a sprung G sensor or a vehicle height sensor for detecting a vibration input to the vehicle body, and a control valve and a controller for controlling the supporting force of the actuator in accordance with the vibration input detected by the sprung G sensor or the vehicle height sensor, and thereby restraining the stroke of the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 21, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tadao Tanaka, Takao Morita, Akihiko Togashi, Naohiro Kishimoto, Hiroaki Yoshida
  • Patent number: 5302007
    Abstract: When a master cylinder pressure detected by way of a pressure sensor (74) attains a level not lower than a target pressure (P.sub.OK), normally-open on-off valves (62, 63) for by-passing proportioning control valves (57.sub.1, 57.sub.2) are opened. If the slip factor of rear wheels, calculated by way of a slip factor calculation section (121), is not lower than a predetermined value, the on-off valves (64, 66) are opened to allow the rear wheel cylinder pressure to escape to accumulators (65, 67). Thus, if there is enough room for the increase of the braking force on the rear wheels, the rear wheel braking force can be increased to reduce the share of the front wheel braking force, depending on braking conditions, such as the road surface conditions, vehicle running conditions, etc. Further the rear wheels can be prevented from being locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 12, 1994
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogue Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takao Morita, Tsutomu Matsukawa, Hiromichi Yasunaga, Tadao Tanaka, Akihiko Togashi, Yasutaka Taniguchi, Masanori Tani