Patents by Inventor Hiroki Matsuoka
Hiroki Matsuoka 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).
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Publication number: 20060213188Abstract: A regeneration controller that prevents overheating when performing burn-up heating for completely burning particulate matter by intermittent fuel addition to an exhaust system or intermittent increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system. The regeneration controller includes first and second exhaust temperature sensors (44, 46), each detecting the exhaust temperature at a location downstream from the exhaust purification apparatus. An ECU (70) determines the timing for stopping fuel addition to the exhaust system or increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system based on the elapsed time of fuel addition to the exhaust system or increase of fuel addition to the exhaust system.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2005Publication date: September 28, 2006Inventors: Shigehiro Matsuno, Yasuhiko Otsubo, Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Hiroki Matsuoka, Takayoshi Inaba
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Publication number: 20060196165Abstract: In an exhaust purifying apparatus, a fuel adding valve (31) supplies unburned fuel to an exhaust passage (14) of a diesel engine (10) so that particulate matter collected in a catalytic converter (33) is burned and removed. The supply of unburned fuel from the fuel adding valve (31) is executed even after an electronic control unit (41) determines that particulate matter in the catalytic converter (33) has been burned and removed. This reduces the amount of particulate matter remaining unburned in the catalytic converter (33).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2005Publication date: September 7, 2006Inventors: Yasuhiko Otsubo, Masataka Miyazaki, Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Hiroki Matsuoka, Shigehiro Matsuno, Takayoshi Inaba
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Publication number: 20060168939Abstract: An exhaust purifying apparatus estimates an accumulation amount of particulate matter trapped about a catalyst in an exhaust system. When the estimated accumulation amount is equal to or more than a permissible value, the apparatus executes PM elimination control for supplying unburned fuel component to the catalyst. The apparatus sets the estimated accumulation amount to zero at the completion of the PM elimination control. When execution of the PM elimination control becomes possible after suspension of the control, the apparatus resumes the PM elimination control even if the accumulation amount is less than the permissible value. Therefore, The estimated accumulation amount is prevented from being significantly deviated from the actual accumulation amount due to suspension.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 10, 2005Publication date: August 3, 2006Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Yasuhiko Otsubo, Tatsuhisa Yokoi, Shigehiro Matsuno, Hiroki Matsuoka, Takayoshi Inaba
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Patent number: 6763799Abstract: An internal combustion is capable of switching, during engine operation, between a low-temperature combustion state in which an intake air with a high EGR rate is burned to operate the engine, and a normal combustion state in which an intake air with a low EGR rate is burned to operate the engine. In the internal combustion engine, a pilot injection is executed in addition to a main fuel injection, and furthermore the execution of the pilot injection is restricted during the engine operation with a combustion state switched to the low-temperature combustion state.Type: GrantFiled: November 29, 2002Date of Patent: July 20, 2004Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Denso Corporation, Kabushiki Kaisha Toyota JidoshokkiInventors: Takekazu Ito, Hiroki Matsuoka, Tatsumasa Sugiyama, Yasuhiro Ohtsubo, Taro Aoyama, Jun Tahara, Mamoru Oki, Masakuni Yokoyama, Hideyuki Kusatugu, Keiichi Mizuguchi
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Patent number: 6722493Abstract: A conveyor roller drive device is provided to mechanically prevent conveyed goods from falling down on a conveyor system. The conveyor roller drive device includes a power generator for generating rotational power and a coupling portion which is coupled to a conveyor roller. A traction roller transmission mechanism is disposed in the rotational power transmission path between the power generator and the coupling portion. The traction roller transmission mechanism includes a sun roller, planetary rollers disposed on the periphery of the sun roller to roll in contact with the sun roller, a ring roller for allowing the planetary rollers to roll in contact with the inner periphery surface of the ring roller, and a carrier being in phase with the revolution component of the planetary rollers.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2001Date of Patent: April 20, 2004Assignee: Sumitomo Heavy Industries, Ltd.Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Kazuyoshi Umeda, Kiyoji Minegishi, Jun Tamenaga
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Patent number: 6646666Abstract: There are provided a method of forming a forgery-preventive image and an apparatus therefor which are capable of easily making a forgery-preventive medium without spoiling ease of determination as to whether forgery has been committed. An image is printed on an ink image-receiving sheet by using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet. The image-receiving sheet and a medium body overlaid upon each other are heated, thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in a surface of the medium body and color development. The amount of heat applied to the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body is controlled so as to adjust depth of diffusion of the sublimable dye ink.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 2001Date of Patent: November 11, 2003Assignee: Seiko Epson CorporationInventor: Hiroki Matsuoka
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Publication number: 20030200232Abstract: The invention provides an information processor that allows a difference in the frequency of use among data storage regions to be reduced, thereby prolonging the useful life of the information recording device as a whole. An available data storage region in a flash memory is searched in a searching sequence recorded in a management table in a RAM, data is stored in the available data storage region thus detected, and the searching sequence recorded in the management table is updated.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2003Publication date: October 23, 2003Applicant: SEIKO EPSON CORPORATION.Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Chikara Nakayama, Hirotaka Ogura, Akihiko Saito
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Patent number: 6619035Abstract: A NOx catalyst in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine is capable of lean burn and adapted to release and reduce absorbed NOx by a reducing agent. Reducing agent supplier is provided in the exhaust passage on the upstream side of the NOx catalyst. A load detector detects the load of an internal combustion engine. Reducing agent addition controller controls the reducing agent addition period and the reducing agent addition interval based on the load of the internal combustion engine, whereby sufficient reducing agent is supplied to the NOx catalyst side independently of the operating condition.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2002Date of Patent: September 16, 2003Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Souichi Matsushita, Yukihiro Tsukasaki, Kotaro Hayashi, Shinobu Ishiyama, Yasuhiro Ohtsubo, Naofumi Magarida, Masaaki Kobayashi, Daisuke Shibata, Akihiro Negami, Tomihisa Oda, Yasuo Harada, Tomoyuki Ono
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Publication number: 20030116123Abstract: An internal combustion is capable of switching, during engine operation, between a low-temperature combustion state in which an intake air with a high EGR rate is burned to operate the engine, and a normal combustion state in which an intake air with a low EGR rate is burned to operate the engine. In the internal combustion engine, a pilot injection is executed in addition to a main fuel injection, and furthermore the execution of the pilot injection is restricted during the engine operation with a combustion state switched to the low-temperature combustion state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 29, 2002Publication date: June 26, 2003Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takekazu Ito, Hiroki Matsuoka, Tatsumasa Sugiyama, Yasuhiro Ohtsubo, Taro Aoyama, Jun Tahara, Mamoru Oki, Masakuni Yokoyama, Hideyuki Kusatugu, Keiichi Mizuguchi
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Patent number: 6467466Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided that can detect even small amounts of gas leakage and can perform a proper fail-safe operation when gas leakage is detected. When an engine is stopped and a gas shut-off valve is closed, the amount of decrease of gas pressure is calculated by comparing initial gas pressure with the gas pressure detected after the elapse of a prescribed time, to detect gas leakage. In one embodiment, gas leakage is detected by calculating the accumulated value of the amount of decrease of gas pressure each time the engine is stopped. In another embodiment, gas leakage is detected by calculating the rate of decrease of gas pressure from the initial gas pressure to the gas pressure detected after the elapse of a prescribed time. In a further embodiment, gas leakage is detected by calculating the accumulated value of the rate of decrease of gas pressure each time the engine is stopped. Further, when gas leakage is detected, the gas shut-off valve is closed and a warning is issued.Type: GrantFiled: July 24, 2000Date of Patent: October 22, 2002Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masahiro Maekawa, Takahiro Aki, Kohei Igarashi, Hiroki Matsuoka
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Publication number: 20020148219Abstract: The present invention is provided with an NOx catalyst 17 provided in the exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine capable of lean burn and adapted to release and reduce absorbed NOx by a reducing agent, a reducing agent supplying means 19 provided in the exhaust passage on the upstream side of the NOx catalyst 17, a load detecting means for detecting the load of an internal combustion engine 1, and a reducing agent addition control means for controlling the reducing agent addition period and the reducing agent addition interval on the basis of the load of the internal combustion engine 1. The addition period and the addition interval for the reducing agent are controlled taking into account, for example, the degree to which reducing agent adheres to the wall surface in the exhaust passage depending on the velocity, temperature, etc.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2002Publication date: October 17, 2002Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Souichi Matsushita, Yukihiro Tsukasaki, Kotaro Hayashi, Shinobu Hshiyama, Yasuhiro Ohtsubo, Naofumi Magarida, Masaaki Kobayashi, Daisuke Shibata, Akihiro Negami, Tomihisa Oda, Yasuo Harada, Tomoyuki Ono
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Publication number: 20020113988Abstract: There are provided a method of forming a forgery-preventive image and an apparatus therefor which are capable of easily making a forgery-preventive medium without spoiling ease of determination as to whether forgery has been committed. An image is printed on an ink image-receiving sheet by using a sublimable dye ink, thereby causing the sublimable dye ink to be held by the ink image-receiving sheet. The image-receiving sheet and a medium body overlaid upon each other are heated, thereby causing diffusion of the sublimable dye ink held in the ink image-receiving sheet in a surface of the medium body and color development. The amount of heat applied to the ink image-receiving sheet and the medium body is controlled so as to adjust depth of diffusion of the sublimable dye ink.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2001Publication date: August 22, 2002Inventor: Hiroki Matsuoka
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Publication number: 20020033320Abstract: A conveyor roller drive device is provided to mechanically prevent conveyed goods from falling down on a conveyor system. The conveyor roller drive device includes a power generator for generating rotational power and a coupling portion which is coupled to a conveyor roller. A traction roller transmission mechanism is disposed in the rotational power transmission path between the power generator and the coupling portion. The traction roller transmission mechanism includes a sun roller, planetary rollers disposed on the periphery of the sun roller to roll in contact with the sun roller, a ring roller for allowing the planetary rollers to roll in contact with the inner periphery surface of the ring roller, and a carrier being in phase with the revolution component of the planetary rollers.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2001Publication date: March 21, 2002Inventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Kazuyoshi Umeda, Kiyoji Minegishi, Jun Tamenaga
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Patent number: 6349540Abstract: A three-way catalyst device having an oxygen absorbing/releasing capability is provided in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine. An upstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor that outputs an output value in accordance with the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is provided in the exhaust passage upstream of the three-way catalyst device. A downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor that outputs an output value in accordance with the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas is provided in the exhaust passage downstream of the three-way catalyst device. A comparison value is calculated by comparing the length of an output locus formed by output values of the upstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor and the length of an output locus formed by output values of the downstream-side air-fuel ratio sensor. By comparing the comparison value with a predetermined criterion, it is determined whether the three-way catalyst device has deteriorated.Type: GrantFiled: September 18, 2000Date of Patent: February 26, 2002Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Shigeki Nakayama, Hiroki Matsuoka, Kohei Igarashi, Hiroshi Suwahara
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Patent number: 6240910Abstract: A compressed natural gas-fueled automotive vehicle is disclosed in which the fail-safe control operation is performed thereby to secure the safety of the vehicle when the gas pressure drops. If the remaining amount of the gas is very small, an engine misfire occurs. If the catalyst temperature is high, the uncombusted gas begins to burn on contact with the high-temperature catalyst in the catalyst unit. In view of this, upon detection of both a gas pressure drop and the vehicle moving condition or upon detection of both a gas pressure drop and an increased catalyst temperature, the fuel supply is stopped or the vehicle speed is reduced to thereby reduce the catalyst temperature. As a result, uncombusted gas is not burnt in the catalyst unit and the catalyst unit is prevented from being destroyed.Type: GrantFiled: January 28, 2000Date of Patent: June 5, 2001Assignees: Fujitsu Ten Limited, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki, Toyota Technical CenterInventors: Masahiro Maekawa, Kohei Igarashi, Hiroki Matsuoka, John Stephen Viggers
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Patent number: 5848530Abstract: A device for detecting deterioration of a catalyst in an internal combustion engine having a heater on the upstream side of a catalytic converter provided in an exhaust gas passage, the device being capable of expanding the deterioration determination conditions of the catalyst. It is determined whether the conditions, except the temperature condition, are all obtained among the conditions for detecting deterioration of the catalytic converter. When the conditions, except the temperature condition, are all obtained, an electric power is supplied from a power source to the heater to satisfy the temperature condition. Deterioration of the catalyst can be reliably detected if the electric power is supplied to the heater only when the engine is in the idling operation condition and if deterioration of the catalyst is detected when the time for supplying electric power to the heater has become larger than a predetermined period of time. The heater may be one contained in the electrically heated catalyst.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 1997Date of Patent: December 15, 1998Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroki Matsuoka, Masaaki Tanaka, Sigemitu Iisaka, Michio Furuhashi, Toshinari Nagai, Tadayuki Nagai, Takashi Kawai, Kenji Harima, Yuichi Goto
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Patent number: 5816287Abstract: An apparatus for preventing discharge of fuel vapor has a differential pressure valve. Before a fuel tank opens to the atmosphere due to removal of a fuel cap, the apparatus leads fuel vapor in the lower pressure chamber of the differential pressure valve to a canister for processing therein and opens the differential pressure valve to lead fuel vapor in the fuel tank to the canister for processing therein. The fuel tank is connected to the canister via the differential pressure valve. The lower pressure chamber of the differential pressure valve is connected to the canister via a connection pipe, a communication valve, and a connection pipe. When a fuel lid is opened, the communication valve is opened to lead fuel vapor in the lower pressure chamber of the differential pressure valve to the canister.Type: GrantFiled: February 29, 1996Date of Patent: October 6, 1998Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiko Hyodo, Hiroki Matsuoka
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Patent number: 5727537Abstract: A fuel supply control system for an engine comprises a fuel injector for feeding fuel into the engine, a canister for temporarily storing fuel vapor, and an air-fuel ratio sensor for sensing an air-fuel ratio of the engine. The canister is connected to an intake passage downstream of a throttle valve to purge a purge gas, that is, air containing fuel vapor, into the intake passage. An amount of fuel to be injected from the fuel injector is corrected in accordance with output a signals of the air-fuel ratio sensor to make the air-fuel ratio equal to a target air-fuel ratio. An initial value of a fuel vapor concentration coefficient, which represents a concentration of fuel vapor in air fed into the engine, is calculated in accordance with a deviation caused when the purging operation starts.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 1995Date of Patent: March 17, 1998Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Norihisa Nakagawa, Hiroki Matsuoka, Michihiro Ohashi
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Patent number: 5669360Abstract: A fuel-vapor emission-control system for an internal combustion engine which is capable of achieving both a reduction of the exhaust of vapor into the atmosphere and the prevention of an excessive increase in pressure within the fuel tank, regardless of the amount of internal pressure in the fuel tank, by providing on an atmospheric release port of the canister which adsorbs vapor adsorbed from the fuel tank of the internal combustion engine, thereby preventing release of the vapor into the atmosphere, an atmospheric release surface area changing valve which changes the surface area of an aperture to the atmosphere. The atmospheric release surface area valve operates to make the atmospheric release surface area larger when the internal pressure in the fuel tank is large than when the internal pressure in the fuel tank is small.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1996Date of Patent: September 23, 1997Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiko Hyodo, Hiroki Matsuoka, Takashi Ishikawa
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Patent number: 5647332Abstract: The amount of flow in a canister is controlled, in a fuel-vapor emission-control system, in response to the operating condition of an engine, control being performed of the size of a release port on the canister responsive to the amount of purge, thereby enabling a large purging amount. An electromagnetic valve capable of changing the surface area of the port is provided at the atmospheric side of a port of the canister. The degree of opening of this electromagnetic valve is varied, depending on the conditions of refueling, traveling, and parking, and during a purge, the opening of the electromagnetic valve when the amount of purge is large is made larger then when the amount of purge is small. By doing this, the recovery of hydrocarbons from the canister when purging is done is speed up, thus improving the working capacity of the canister.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 1996Date of Patent: July 15, 1997Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiko Hyodo, Hiroki Matsuoka