Patents by Inventor Hiromu Saito
Hiromu Saito 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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Patent number: 11691538Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell and a fuel cell controller. The fuel cell controller is configured to control a cooler based on a command from a host controller, the cooler being configured to cool the fuel cell. When a predetermined condition regarding the fuel cell is satisfied, the fuel cell controller controls the cooler according to a procedure predetermined in the fuel cell controller, regardless of the command from the host controller.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 11456471Abstract: The present disclosure makes it possible to store data on the cause of an output shortage in a memory while reducing the capacity of the memory for storing data on an output shortage. A fuel cell system of the present disclosure comprises: a drive motor for driving a vehicle; a plurality of power sources that include a fuel cell and a secondary battery; a memory that stores data on a failure of output of the drive motor; and a controller that controls writing of the data on the failure into the memory. When an actual output value of the drive motor is smaller than a reference value decided by an output request value, the controller stores in the memory data on operating state of one of power sources, with an actual output value smaller than a power source output request value.Type: GrantFiled: September 19, 2018Date of Patent: September 27, 2022Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 11362352Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system including: a fuel cell that supplies electricity to a load; a fuel cell converter that is connected between the fuel cell and the load and boosts a voltage output from the fuel cell; and a control unit that causes the fuel cell converter to perform a voltage boosting action and controls output electricity to the load. Upon detecting a voltage boosting disabling failure that is a failure in which the fuel cell converter is unable to perform the voltage boosting action and able to pass a current, the control unit stops the voltage boosting action of the fuel cell converter and passes a current through the fuel cell converter.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2018Date of Patent: June 14, 2022Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Publication number: 20220169149Abstract: A fuel cell system includes a fuel cell and a fuel cell controller. The fuel cell controller is configured to control a cooler based on a command from a host controller, the cooler being configured to cool the fuel cell. When a predetermined condition regarding the fuel cell is satisfied, the fuel cell controller controls the cooler according to a procedure predetermined in the fuel cell controller, regardless of the command from the host controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: June 2, 2022Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu SAITO
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Patent number: 11171347Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an anode gas flow passage in which an injector is disposed, a plurality of pressure sensors that measures a pressure value in the anode gas flow passage closer to the fuel cell stack than to the injector, and a control unit configured to control an output of the fuel cell stack by adjusting an amount of supplied anode gas using the measured pressure values. The control unit limits the output of the fuel cell stack when a first condition that a state in which a deviation, of a plurality of pressure values measured by the plurality of pressure sensors is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value is maintained for a predetermined time or more has been satisfied compared with when the first condition has not been satisfied.Type: GrantFiled: November 26, 2018Date of Patent: November 9, 2021Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10873098Abstract: When reduction of insulation resistance is detected, an FC positive side relay is opened, and a switching element is turned OFF. When the insulation resistance has returned to a normal value as a result of the relay opening and the switching element turning OFF, it is identified that the power leakage is occurring in the area between the positive side relay and the diode.Type: GrantFiled: August 24, 2018Date of Patent: December 22, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromu Saito, Keiichi Toriumi
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Patent number: 10804548Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a fuel cell; a hydrogen tank; a hydrogen supply flow path configured to connect the hydrogen tank and the fuel cell to each other; a valve element configured to, when closed, shut off supply of hydrogen from the hydrogen tank to the hydrogen supply flow path; a pressure sensor; a pressure reducer configured to reduce internal pressure of the hydrogen supply flow path; and a controller configured to decide presence or absence of a hydrogen leak in the fuel cell system upon a power-generation halt of the fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 2017Date of Patent: October 13, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10720657Abstract: A fuel cell system includes: a pressure regulating valve that reduces a pressure of a fuel gas; a fuel gas supply passage having a first passage extending between a fuel cell and the pressure regulating valve and a second passage extending from the pressure regulating valve via a cutoff valve to a fuel gas supply source; a pressure sensor that detects a pressure of the fuel gas inside the first passage; and a controller to which the cutoff valve and the pressure sensor are connected. When a pressure value detected by the pressure sensor is an abnormal value, the controller closes the cutoff valve and performs pressure reduction processing for the first passage. Thereafter, the controller judges that the pressure regulating valve has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor has lowered, whereas the controller judges that the pressure sensor has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor has not lowered.Type: GrantFiled: December 28, 2017Date of Patent: July 21, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10629930Abstract: A controller closes a cutoff valve and a purge valve when a pressure value detected by a pressure sensor is an abnormal value. The controller then judges that an on-off valve has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor P1 has lowered, whereas the controller judges that the pressure sensor has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor has not lowered.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2018Date of Patent: April 21, 2020Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10593973Abstract: A fuel cell system incorporated in a vehicle includes a fuel cell that uses a reaction gas to generate electric power and a controller. When output restriction that restricts the electric power output by the fuel cell is performed, (a) the controller does not store a content of the performed output restriction as a history in a case where a throttle opening of a throttle is smaller than an opening threshold or an output request is smaller than an output threshold, the output request being issued to the fuel cell and set in accordance with the throttle opening, and (b) the controller stores the content of the performed output restriction as a history in a case where a condition specified in advance is satisfied while the throttle opening is greater than the opening threshold and the output request is greater than the output threshold.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 2018Date of Patent: March 17, 2020Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10403915Abstract: An electric power supply system includes first and second fuel cell stacks, a plurality of fuel tanks, a determination unit configured to determine the state of the first fuel cell stack during operation stop of the first and second fuel cell stacks, and a purging execution unit configured to execute purging by activating the first and second fuel cell stacks according to a determination result and opening on-off valves of the plurality of fuel tanks to supply fuel to the first and second fuel cell stacks.Type: GrantFiled: June 1, 2017Date of Patent: September 3, 2019Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromu Saito, Ryo Shibuya
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Publication number: 20190198899Abstract: Provided is a fuel cell system including: a fuel cell that supplies electricity to a load; a fuel cell converter that is connected between the fuel cell and the load and boosts a voltage output from the fuel cell; and a control unit that causes the fuel cell converter to perform a voltage boosting action and controls output electricity to the load. Upon detecting a voltage boosting disabling failure that is a failure in which the fuel cell converter is unable to perform the voltage boosting action and able to pass a current, the control unit stops the voltage boosting action of the fuel cell converter and passes a current through the fuel cell converter.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2018Publication date: June 27, 2019Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Publication number: 20190181472Abstract: A fuel cell system includes an anode gas flow passage in which an injector is disposed, a plurality of pressure sensors that measures a pressure value in the anode gas flow passage closer to the fuel cell stack than to the injector, and a control unit configured to control an output of the fuel cell stack by adjusting an amount of supplied anode gas using the measured pressure values. The control unit limits the output of the fuel cell stack when a first condition that a state in which a deviation, of a plurality of pressure values measured by the plurality of pressure sensors is equal to or greater than a predetermined first threshold value is maintained for a predetermined time or more has been satisfied compared with when the first condition has not been satisfied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 26, 2018Publication date: June 13, 2019Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Publication number: 20190088961Abstract: The present disclosure makes it possible to store data on the cause of an output shortage in a memory while reducing the capacity of the memory for storing data on an output shortage. A fuel cell system of the present disclosure comprises: a drive motor for driving a vehicle; a plurality of power sources that include a fuel cell and a secondary battery; a memory that stores data on a failure of output of the drive motor; and a controller that controls writing of the data on the failure into the memory. When an actual output value of the drive motor is smaller than a reference value decided by an output request value, the controller stores in the memory data on operating state of one of power sources, with an actual output value smaller than a power source output request value.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 19, 2018Publication date: March 21, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu SAITO
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Publication number: 20190067718Abstract: When reduction of insulation resistance is detected, an FC positive side relay is opened, and a switching element is turned OFF. When the insulation resistance has returned to a normal value as a result of the relay opening and the switching element turning OFF, it is identified that the power leakage is occurring in the area between the positive side relay and the diode.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 24, 2018Publication date: February 28, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiromu SAITO, Keiichi TORIUMI
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Publication number: 20190013536Abstract: A fuel cell system incorporated in a vehicle includes a fuel cell that uses a reaction gas to generate electric power and a controller. When output restriction that restricts the electric power output by the fuel cell is performed, (a) the controller does not store a content of the performed output restriction as a history in a case where a throttle opening of a throttle is smaller than an opening threshold or an output request is smaller than an output threshold, the output request being issued to the fuel cell and set in accordance with the throttle opening, and (b) the controller stores the content of the performed output restriction as a history in a case where a condition specified in advance is satisfied while the throttle opening is greater than the opening threshold and the output request is greater than the output threshold.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 5, 2018Publication date: January 10, 2019Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu SAITO
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Patent number: 10164445Abstract: An electric power system includes a relay which is switched between an on state in which charging/discharging of a battery is permitted and an off state in which charging/discharging of the battery is inhibited, and an electronic control unit which controls switching of the relay between an on state and an off state based on a command from an electronic control unit. When a command for switching the relay from the on state to the off state is given from the electronic control unit to the electronic control unit, in a case where an abnormality occurs in the electronic control unit or in a case where an abnormality occurs in communication between the electronic control unit and the electronic control unit, the electronic control unit switches the relay to the off state.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2017Date of Patent: December 25, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiromu Saito, Ryo Shibuya
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Patent number: 10122177Abstract: A power supply method carried out in a system that includes a fuel cell, a secondary battery, a motor, and an auxiliary for the fuel cell includes controlling an intermittent operation by which execution and stoppage of power generation by the fuel cell is switched intermittently to supply power to electric power loads including the motor and the auxiliary, determining whether or not an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery during the intermittent operation, instructing the motor to regenerate power on a condition that it is determined that an abnormality occurs in the secondary battery in the determination of whether or not the abnormality occurs, and supplying power, which is obtained by carrying out the regeneration, to the auxiliary.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 2017Date of Patent: November 6, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryosuke Oya, Hiromu Saito
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Patent number: 10096853Abstract: Disclosed is a method of detecting an abnormality in a first pressure sensor or a second pressure sensor of a fuel cell system including the upstream-side first pressure sensor and the downstream-side second pressure sensor provided in a fuel supply flow passage configured to connect a fuel cell and a fuel supply source, a pressure reducing valve, a first shutoff valve, and a second shutoff valve. The first shutoff valve is closed to shut off supply of fuel from the fuel supply source. a pressure on an upstream side and a pressure on a downstream side of the pressure reducing valve is decreased to be equal to or less than a pressure regulation lower limit value. The second shutoff valve is closed and detection pressure values of the first pressure sensor and the second pressure sensor are compared with each other.Type: GrantFiled: February 23, 2017Date of Patent: October 9, 2018Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiromu Saito
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Publication number: 20180269499Abstract: A controller closes a cutoff valve and a purge valve when a pressure value detected by a pressure sensor is an abnormal value. The controller then judges that an on-off valve has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor P1 has lowered, whereas the controller judges that the pressure sensor has failed when the pressure value detected by the pressure sensor has not lowered.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2018Publication date: September 20, 2018Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hiromu SAITO