Patents by Inventor Hiromichi Kimura

Hiromichi Kimura 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: 9991760
    Abstract: A vehicular drive system is provided with at least one electric motor and a helical gear portion which are accommodated within a casing formed by a plurality of casing members fixed to each other, wherein: said casing includes a first casing member to which a stator of each of said at least one electric motor is fixed, and a second casing member which is fixed to said first casing member so as to cooperate with said first casing member to form a space accommodating said at least one electric motor and which has a support portion supporting said helical gear portion; and a rotor of said each electric motor is rotatably supported at opposite ends thereof by said first casing member and said second casing member, respectively, while said helical gear portion is rotatably supported by said second casing member through said support portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuo Obata, Kunio Morisawa, Tsuyoshi Kitahata, Takeshi Kuwahara, Hiromichi Kimura, Masahiro Tanae, Toru Saitou
  • Publication number: 20180148064
    Abstract: A control apparatus (80) for a vehicular drive system (12; 105) having a step-variable transmission portion (20; 110) which is shifted to a selected one of speed positions having respective speed ratio values, with engaging and releasing actions of coupling devices (B, C), and a drive power source portion (39; 103) operatively connected to an input shaft (30) of the step-variable transmission portion, the control apparatus being configured to implement a speed synchronizing control upon a shift-down action of the step-variable transmission portion in a coasting run of a vehicle (10; 100), wherein an input shaft speed of the step-variable transmission portion is raised with an input shaft torque transmitted from the drive power source portion to the input shaft, from a pre-shift-down synchronizing speed to a post-shift-down synchronizing speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jun GOTO, Kenta KUMAZAKI, Masato YOSHIKAWA, Nobufusa KOBAYASHI, Hiromichi KIMURA, Kazuyuki SHIIBA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Takeshi KITAHATA
  • Patent number: 9739340
    Abstract: A damper apparatus according to an embodiment includes a pair of first plates, a second plate, an elastic member, a first friction material and a second friction material. The elastic member is configured to elastically deform in a circumferential direction of a rotation axis by a relative rotation between the pair of first plates and the second plate around the rotation axis. The first friction material is configured to generate a first friction torque in a case where the second plate rotates relative to the pair of first plates in a first direction from an initial state. The second friction material is configured to generate a second friction torque greater than the first friction torque in a case where the second plate rotates relative to the pair of first plates in a second direction which is opposite from the first direction from the initial state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Assignee: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Nakagaito, Tomohiro Saeki, Masaru Ebata, Tsutomu Sekine, Masataka Sugiyama, Ryuji Ibaraki, Hiromichi Kimura, Hiroaki Kimura
  • Publication number: 20160033002
    Abstract: A damper apparatus according to an embodiment includes a pair of first plates, a second plate, an elastic member, a first friction material and a second friction material. The elastic member is configured to elastically deform in a circumferential direction of a rotation axis by a relative rotation between the pair of first plates and the second plate around the rotation axis. The first friction material is configured to generate a first friction torque in a case where the second plate rotates relative to the pair of first plates in a first direction from an initial state. The second friction material is configured to generate a second friction torque greater than the first friction torque in a case where the second plate rotates relative to the pair of first plates in a second direction which is opposite from the first direction from the initial state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Publication date: February 4, 2016
    Applicant: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi NAKAGAITO, Tomohiro SAEKI, Masaru EBATA, Tsutomu SEKINE, Masataka SUGIYAMA, Ryuji IBARAKI, Hiromichi KIMURA, Hiroaki KIMURA
  • Patent number: 9132832
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9102319
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Patent number: 9096218
    Abstract: It is provided a control device of a vehicle power transmission device including: a torque limiter device blocking transmission of a torque amount exceeding a predetermined torque with operation involving differential rotation between a first rotating member and a second rotating member; and an electric motor coupled to one of the first rotating member and the second rotating member in a power transmittable manner, wherein when a rotation speed difference is generated between the first rotating member and the second rotating member due to the operation of the torque limiter device, the electric motor is operated so as to suppress the rotation speed difference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitahata, Tatsuo Obata, Hiromichi Kimura, Takeshi Kuwahara, Toru Saito, Masahiro Tanae
  • Patent number: 8905885
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device configured with reduced axial dimensions, while still having appropriate lubrication. The vehicle drive device is configured with an input shaft coupled to an engine, a rotary electric machine, and an output shaft coupled to wheels. A power transfer mechanism couples input shaft, the rotary electric machine, and the output shaft. A case houses at least the rotary electric machine and the power transfer mechanism. An oil reserving portion capable of reserving oil supplied by rotation of the power transfer mechanism is provided above the rotor shaft inside the case. A communication oil passage is oriented between the oil reserving portion and an inner circumferential space formed inside the rotor shaft. The rotor shaft is disposed to be inserted into the inside housing space, and has a supply communication hole that communicates between the inner circumferential space and the inside housing space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Yamamoto, Masamitsu Seno, Takuya Komatsu, Natsuki Sada, Hirotaka Yata, Tomoo Atarashi, Hiromichi Kimura, Takeshi Kuwahara, Tatsuo Obata, Michitaka Tsuchida, Yoshinori Morita, Shingo Kato
  • Publication number: 20140341757
    Abstract: A plate is interposed between a rear cover and a pump body. The pump chamber is formed between the plate and the pump body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuo Obata, Hiromichi Kimura, Takeshi Kuwahara, Katsuhide Kitagawa, Kunio Morisawa, Masamitsu Seno, Hirotaka Yata, Tomoo Atarashi
  • Publication number: 20140335998
    Abstract: A vehicle power transmission device is disposed on a hybrid vehicle having an engine and an electric motor, the vehicle power transmission device includes a first member having one of outer circumferential teeth disposed around one axial center or inner circumferential teeth meshing with the outer circumferential teeth and a second member having the other teeth, the inner circumferential teeth and the outer circumferential teeth meshes with each other to limit relative rotation around the one axial center between the first member and the second member, the relative rotation between the first member and the second member is limited to transmit torque of the electric motor to drive wheels.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitaka Ichikawa, Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Masahiro Kojima, Ryuji Ibaraki, Michitaka Tsuchida, Shinichiro Suenaga, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140285045
    Abstract: A vehicular drive system is provided with at least one electric motor and a bevel gear portion which are accommodated within a casing formed by a plurality of casing members fixed to each other, wherein: said casing includes a first casing member to which a stator of each of said at least one electric motor is fixed, and a second casing member which is fixed to said first casing member so as to cooperate with said first casing member to form a space accommodating said at least one electric motor and which has a support portion supporting said bevel gear portion; and a rotor of said each electric motor is rotatably supported at opposite ends thereof by said first casing member and said second casing member, respectively, while said bevel gear portion is rotatably supported by said second casing member through said support portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Tatsuo Obata, Kunio Morisawa, Tsuyoshi Kitahata, Takeshi Kuwahara, Hiromichi Kimura, Masahiro Tanae, Toru Saitou
  • Patent number: 8840511
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device configured with an input member coupled to an internal combustion engine, a rotary electric machine, an output member coupled to wheels, and a power transfer mechanism that drivably couples the input member, the rotary electric machine, and the output member. An oil collecting portion is configured to collect oil supplied by rotation of the power transfer mechanism, The collected oil falling passage is configured to cause the oil collected by the oil collecting portion to flow downward to be supplied to a portion of a facing wall surface located above a cylindrical member. A communication oil passage communicates between the gap and the inside housing space is formed at a portion of abutment between the subject support bearing and the support projecting portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 23, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jiddosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masamitsu Seno, Hirotaka Yata, Natsuki Sada, Takuya Komatsu, Tomoo Atarashi, Michinobu Suzuki, Hiromichi Kimura, Michitaka Tsuchida
  • Publication number: 20140245860
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device includes: a transaxle case including a tubular case opened in at least one end portion and a cover fixed to an opening portion of the tubular case to close an opening of the tubular case, the transaxle case housing a transmission; and a mount device attached between the cover of the transaxle case and a vehicle body to support the transaxle case, the mount device including a support plate member fixedly disposed on the cover, the support plate member being fastened by at least three first fastening members through the cover to the opening portion of the tubular case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2011
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kimura, Takeshi Kuwahara, Taturou Obata, Yoshinori Morita, Shingo Katou, Takeshi Kitahata, Takuya Kodama
  • Patent number: 8779972
    Abstract: An information processing terminal, including a request reception unit that receives a function request. A GPS signals reception unit that receives a GPS signal, and a current position measuring unit that determines the latitude and longitude of the current position of the information processing terminal based upon the GPS signal. A defining information recording unit in which defining information related to the functions that can be engaged at the information processing terminal is recorded. A function decision-making unit that makes a decision as to whether or not a function can be engaged based upon the defining information and the latitude and longitude of the current position having been measured by the current position measuring unit and a data read/write unit that reads/writes data from/into a data area among a plurality of data areas based upon the results of the decision made by the function decision-making unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Felica Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kimura, Taro Kurita, Mitsugi Iwahashi
  • Patent number: 8753242
    Abstract: Providing a vehicular power transmitting system which includes a torque limiter device and which is configured to reduce deterioration of durability of a rotary member disposed between an engine and the torque limiter device. An inertia moment of a first rotary portion of a torque limiter device about its axis (first axis RC1) is smaller than an inertia moment of a second rotary portion about its axis (first axis RC1), so that an inertia moment of rotary members between an input shaft and the first rotary portion can be reduced as compared with that where the above-indicated inertia moment is larger than the inertia moment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akira Hibino, Michitaka Tsuchida, Hiromichi Kimura
  • Publication number: 20140155214
    Abstract: A lubricating oil supply apparatus arranged in a transaxle case includes a differential ring gear, a catch tank that stores lubricating oil picked up by the differential ring gear, a first flow path arranged higher than a highest position of an outer diameter of the differential ring gear, a gear with a higher center position than the differential ring gear, and a second flow path that guides the lubricating oil picked up by the gear to the catch tank. The first flow path guides the lubricating oil picked up by the differential ring gear to the catch tank. The gear is in mesh with the differential ring gear, and picks up the lubricating oil picked up by the differential ring gear. The second flow path is arranged lower than a highest position of an outer diameter of the gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromichi KIMURA, Tatsuo OBATA, Shingo KATO, Yuya AOKI
  • Patent number: 8720660
    Abstract: Disclosed is a parking lock mechanism of a power transmission apparatus which can stably supply lubrication oil to the sliding surface of a parking cam to decrease the sliding resistance of the parking cam. The parking lock mechanism 52 includes a support portion 73 for positioning a sleeve 71 with respect to an extension housing 6, and a first guide rib 74 provided on the support portion 73 for catching oil circulating in a transaxle case 4 to supply the oil to the support portion 73. The sleeve 71 has an upper portion formed with a notch 71c for allowing a parking pawl 62 to be held in abutment with a parking cam 61. The oil caught by the first guide rib 74 is supplied through the support portion 73 and the notch 71c of the sleeve 71 to the sliding surface of the parking cam 61, viz., the sliding surface between the parking pawl 62 and the parking cam 61 and the sliding surface between the parking cam 61 and the sleeve 71.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kimura, Michitaka Tsuchida, Takeshi Kitahata, Tatsuo Obata, Yosuke Suzuki, Takeshi Kuwahara
  • Patent number: 8668612
    Abstract: In a lubrication structure of a differential gear unit, a case has a guide rib that extends over a certain area with respect to a rotation path of a head of a bolt when a ring gear rotates, and that protrudes out from the case toward the head of the bolt. Also, a through-hole that extends in a vertical direction is formed in an upper portion of a hollow supporting portion, and the guide rib has an oil reservoir that curves toward an upper end opening of the through-hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kimura, Takeshi Kuwahara, Takeshi Kitahata, Tatsuo Obata, Masahiro Tanae
  • Patent number: 8636621
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes: power dividing mechanism that has a plurality of rotating elements rotated by torque output and transmitted from an engine and a first motor/generator and switches a transmission mode according to the engaging states of the respective rotating elements; and a clutch that has a first engaging member and a second engaging member having a backlash between them in a rotating direction thereof, and that sets a transmission mode to a fixed transmission ratio mode by engaging the first engaging member connected to one of the rotating elements with the second engaging member, and sets the transmission mode to a continuously variable transmission ratio mode by releasing the engagement. In the control device of a vehicle, the magnitude of the reversed rotating torque is reduced when the direction of rotating torque acting between the first and seconds engaging members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromichi Kimura, Yukihiko Ideshio, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Tomohito Ono, Hirotatsu Kitabatake, Hideki Sano
  • Patent number: 8626370
    Abstract: A control apparatus is applied to a vehicle that has shift modes including the continuously variable shift mode, in which a ratio of the rotational speed of a power source to the rotational speed of a drive shaft is continuously adjusted, and the stepped shift mode, in which the ratio is fixed. The control apparatus includes a control unit that controls the torque that is output from the power source to make the time that is required to bring the drive torque of the drive shaft from a predetermined value to a target value in the stepped shift mode equal to the time that is required to bring the drive torque of the drive shaft from the predetermined value to the target value in the continuously variable shift mode. In this way, the difference in drivability between the continuously variable shift mode and the stepped shift mode is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroaki Ebuchi, Kouji Kawashima, Hiromichi Kimura, Tomoyuki Honda