Patents by Inventor Hideaki Gouda

Hideaki Gouda 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: 7416511
    Abstract: In a hybrid-drive electric vehicle, upon request of gear shifting of a transmission (2), a clutch (3) is first disconnected and the transmission (2) is set to a neutral position. The rotating electric generator 4 is then operated in a motor mode or a power generating mode so that a rotational speed of an input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches a region of a synchronizing rotational speed in accordance with a requested gear position. When the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches the region of the synchronizing rotational speed, the gear position of the transmission (2) is changed over from the neutral position to the requested gear position. Thus the rotation synchronizing time for the gear shifting in the transmission (2) is reduced, making it possible to perform the gear shifting for a short period of time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki, Hideaki Gouda
  • Patent number: 7381146
    Abstract: A controller (10) of a hybrid vehicle determines an engine torque at a point on an engine torque high efficiency line at the current engine rotation speed as a target engine torque, and determines the current engine torque from the current engine rotation speed and current accelerator depression amount. Then, when the gear position of a transmission (2) is neutral, the vehicle is stationary and a storage device (9) requires charging, the controller (10) sets the difference between the target engine torque and the current engine torque as a target power generation torque of a motor generator (4), sets a transitional time period corresponding to the target power generation torque, and performs control over the transitional time period to raise the power generation torque of the motor generator gradually to the target power generation torque.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7328763
    Abstract: A hybrid electric drive system for a vehicle comprises a combustion engine (1), a transmission (2), a first clutch (3) disposed between the engine (1) and the transmission (2), a rotating electric machine (4) which serves as a motor as well as a generator, a second clutch (30) disposed between the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2), and a storage device (9). When the second clutch (30) is commanded to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2), a control unit (10) controls the rotating electric machine (4) so as to decrease the difference between the rotation speeds of the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2) (S2) and cause the second clutch (30) to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2) only after the difference decreases to a allowable value (S3, S4).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20060293144
    Abstract: In a hybrid-drive electric vehicle, upon request of gear shifting of a transmission (2), a clutch (3) is first disconnected and the transmission (2) is set to a neutral position. The rotating electric generator 4 is then operated in a motor mode or a power generating mode so that a rotational speed of an input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches a region of a synchronizing rotational speed in accordance with a requested gear position. When the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission (2) reaches the region of the synchronizing rotational speed, the gear position of the transmission (2) is changed over from the neutral position to the requested gear position. Thus the rotation synchronizing time for the gear shifting in the transmission (2) is reduced, making it possible to perform the gear shifting for a short period of time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Publication date: December 28, 2006
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki, Hideaki Gouda
  • Publication number: 20060213706
    Abstract: A hybrid electric drive system for a vehicle comprises a combustion engine (1), a transmission (2), a first clutch (3) disposed between the engine (1) and the transmission (2), a rotating electric machine (4) which serves as a motor as well as a generator, a second clutch (30) disposed between the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2), and a storage device (9). When the second clutch (30) is commanded to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2), a control unit (10) controls the rotating electric machine (4) so as to decrease the difference between the rotation speeds of the rotating electric machine (4) and the transmission (2) (S2) and cause the second clutch (30) to connect the rotating electric machine (4) to the transmission (2) only after the difference decreases to a allowable value (S3, S4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 28, 2006
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20060199696
    Abstract: A controller (10) of a hybrid vehicle determines an engine torque at a point on an engine torque high efficiency line at the current engine rotation speed as a target engine torque, and determines the current engine torque from the current engine rotation speed and current accelerator depression amount. Then, when the gear position of a transmission (2) is neutral, the vehicle is stationary and a storage device (9) requires charging, the controller (10) sets the difference between the target engine torque and the current engine torque as a target power generation torque of a motor generator (4), sets a transitional time period corresponding to the target power generation torque, and performs control over the transitional time period to raise the power generation torque of the motor generator gradually to the target power generation torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 12, 2003
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Inventors: Hideaki Gouda, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Yuji Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6907950
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle system comprises an engine (1), a gearbox (4), a clutch (3) for engaging or disengaging the gearbox (4) with or from the engine (1), a rotating machine (2), a power transmission mechanism (5) for transmitting the rotation of the rotating machine (2) to the gearbox, and a capacitor (7) for storing electric power supplied from the rotating machine (2). A control unit (20) computes the drive force required by the vehicle, and determines the portion of output to be produced by the rotating machine (2) according to the stored energy in the capacitor (7) and the portion of output to be produced by the engine (1) so that the drive force requirement may be satisfied. The outputs from the rotating machine (2) and the engine (1) are controlled to obtain the determined portions of output, and a clutch (3) is then engaged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikurou Notsu, Akihito Okazaki, Masakazu Sasaki, Shougo Nishikawa, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideaki Gouda
  • Patent number: 6884199
    Abstract: This system comprises an engine 1, a transmission device 4, a clutch 3 for engaging/disengaging the engine 1 with/from the transmission device 4, a rotational electric device 2, a power transmission mechanism 5 for inputting the rotation of the rotational electric device 2 to the transmission device, and an accumulator element 7 for accumulating electrical power supplied by the rotational electric device 2. A control unit 20 determines a gear change instruction for the transmission device 4, and if gear change instruction is determined, it disengages the clutch 3, and controls the rotation of the rotational electric device 2 in such a manner that the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission device becomes a target rotational speed required for a gear changing operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Nissan Diesel Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ikurou Notsu, Akihito Okazaki, Masakazu Sasaki, Shougo Nishikawa, Mistuhiro Nishina, Hideaki Gouda
  • Publication number: 20040040810
    Abstract: This system comprises an engine 1, a transmission device 4, a clutch 3 for engaging/disengaging the engine 1 with/from the transmission device 4, a rotational electric device 2, a power transmission mechanism 5 for inputting the rotation of the rotational electric device 2 to the transmission device, and an accumulator element 7 for accumulating electrical power supplied by the rotational electric device 2. A control unit 20 determines a gear change instruction for the transmission device 4, and if gear change instruction is determined, it disengages the clutch 3, and controls the rotation of the rotational electric device 2 in such a manner that the rotational speed of the input shaft of the transmission device becomes a target rotational speed required for a gear changing operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: March 4, 2004
    Inventors: Ikurou Notsu, Akihito Okazaki, Masakazu Sasaki, Shougo Nishikawa, Mistuhiro Nishina, Hideaki Gouda
  • Publication number: 20040026141
    Abstract: This system comprises an engine 1, a transmission device 4, a clutch 3 for engaging/disengaging the engine 1 with/from the transmission device 4, a rotational electric device 2, a power transmission mechanism 5 for inputting the rotation of the rotational electric device 2 to the transmission device, and an accumulator element 7 for accumulating electrical power supplied by the rotational electric device 2. A control unit 20 calculates the required driving force of the vehicle, and sets the ratio of output load allotted to the rotational electric device 2 and the ratio of output load allotted to the engine 1 in accordance with the accumulated charge in the accumulator element 7. The control unit 20 further controls the output of the rotational electric device 2 and the engine 1 in such a manner that these respective allotted output loads are achieved, and engages said clutch 3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Ikurou Notsu, Akihito Okazaki, Masakazu Sasaki, Shougo Nishikawa, Mitsuhiro Nishina, Hideaki Gouda