Patents by Inventor Akihiro Ohtomo

Akihiro Ohtomo 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: 8381869
    Abstract: An electric power steering device for a vehicle includes an estimation mechanism estimating if there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in a booster circuit toward a vehicle battery device, and a boosting controller stopping the boosting operation of the booster circuit to prevent a backward electric current from flowing in the booster circuit when it is estimated that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows by the estimation mechanism. The estimation mechanism estimates that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in the booster circuit when the steering condition of a steering wheel is a returning condition or a steering-held condition. Otherwise, the estimation mechanism estimates if a backward electric current flows on the basis of input and output voltages of the booster circuit and information on the switching of a first boosting switching element. Thereby, overheat of the booster circuit can be prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Fujimoto, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenichiro Aoki, Megumu Nishikohri, Akihiro Ohtomo, Eiji Kasai, Tsutomu Onagi, Keitaro Niki
  • Publication number: 20110272205
    Abstract: An electric power steering device for a vehicle includes an estimation mechanism estimating if there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in a booster circuit toward a vehicle battery device, and a boosting controller stopping the boosting operation of the booster circuit to prevent a backward electric current from flowing in the booster circuit when it is estimated that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows by the estimation mechanism. The estimation mechanism estimates that there is a possibility that a backward electric current flows in the booster circuit when the steering condition of a steering wheel is a returning condition or a steering-held condition. Otherwise, the estimation mechanism estimates if a backward electric current flows on the basis of input and output voltages of the booster circuit and information on the switching of a first boosting switching element. Thereby, overheat of the booster circuit can be prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaki Fujimoto, Masaharu Yamashita, Kenichiro Aoki, Megumu Nishikohri, Akihiro Ohtomo, Eiji Kasai, Tsutomu Onagi, Keitaro Niki
  • Patent number: 6123397
    Abstract: In a brake fluid control device, front wheel cylinders are connected to a front hydraulic circuit, and rear wheel cylinders are connected to a rear hydraulic circuit. The front hydraulic circuit and the rear hydraulic circuit are connected to a front left pressure-decrease valve, a front right pressure-decrease valve, a rear left pressure-decrease valve, a rear right pressure-decrease valve and a connecting pipe. When a brake pedal is depressed, the front left pressure-decrease valve, the front right pressure-decrease valve, the rear left pressure-decrease valve and the rear right pressure-decrease valve are opened and a master cylinder pressure sensor leads to both the front hydraulic circuit and the rear hydraulic circuit. Comparing a detection value of the of the master cylinder pressure sensor, a detection value of a front wheel cylinder pressure sensor and a detection value of a rear wheel cylinder pressure sensor respectively, detects the state of operation of each of the sensors provided in the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2000
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akihiro Ohtomo, Akira Sakai, Fumiaki Kawahata, Hirohiko Morikawa, Kiyoharu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 6007164
    Abstract: A brake fluid pressure control apparatus achieves a sufficiently large brake force even when a malfunction occurs in an operational force sensor for detecting a level of operational force applied to a brake system. A magnitude of a master cylinder pressure generated by a master cylinder is detected by a master cylinder pressure sensor. A linear fluid pressure source generates a linear fluid pressure adjusted by the magnitude of the master cylinder pressure. Front wheel cylinders and rear wheel cylinders are provided with the linear fluid pressure. A front wheel cylinder pressure is detected and a front wheel cylinder pressure value corresponding to a magnitude of the front wheel cylinder pressure is output by a front wheel cylinder sensor. If it is determined that a malfunction is occurring in the operational force sensor, a connection of the front wheel cylinders is switched from the linear fluid pressure source to the master cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Sakai, Akihiro Ohtomo, Fumiaki Kawahata, Hirohiko Morikawa, Kiyoharu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 5992949
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus in which a master cylinder supplies a brake fluid pressure responsive to a brake operating force to wheel cylinders through a first valve, includes a first control unit which controls second valves and third valves when a brake fluid pressure supplied to the wheel cylinders by a pressure supplying device is detected to be excessively high under a condition in which the supply of the brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders by the master cylinder is inhibited by the first valve, so that the supply of the brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders by the pressure supplying device is inhibited by the second valves and a flow of the brake fluid from the wheel cylinders into a reservoir tank is allowed by the third valves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoharu Nakamura, Fumiaki Kawahata, Masayasu Ohkubo, Hirohiko Morikawa, Akira Sakai, Akihiro Ohtomo
  • Patent number: 5979997
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus includes a pressure supply inhibiting unit which inhibits supply of a brake fluid pressure to wheel cylinders by a first pressure supplying unit when a defect in a brake fluid path between a first flow control unit and the wheel cylinders has occurred, and inhibits supply of a brake fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders by a second pressure supplying unit when a defect in a brake fluid path between a second flow control unit and the wheel cylinders has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 9, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayasu Ohkubo, Fumiaki Kawahata, Amane Shimura, Hirohiko Morikawa, Akira Sakai, Akihiro Ohtomo
  • Patent number: 5951120
    Abstract: A hydraulic brake control apparatus in which a master cylinder is connected to wheel cylinders via a master cylinder cut valve, and the wheel cylinders are connected to a reservoir tank via a switching valve, includes a check valve provided between the master cylinder and the wheel cylinders in parallel with the master cylinder cut valve, the check valve provided in a bypass passage of the master cylinder cut valve, the check valve allowing a flow of a brake fluid from the master cylinder to the wheel cylinders and inhibiting a flow of the brake fluid from the wheel cylinders to the master cylinder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Amane Shimura, Hirohiko Morikawa, Fumiaki Kawahata, Kiyoharu Nakamura, Akira Sakai, Akihiro Ohtomo