Patents by Inventor Hironobu Makino

Hironobu Makino 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: 7052434
    Abstract: A vehicle engine is coupled to a driving system that includes a torque converter and an automatic transmission. An ECU sets a target value of an opening degree of a throttle valve based on a depression degree of an acceleration pedal. The ECU changes the throttle opening degree at a predetermined gradual change speed such that the throttle opening degree reaches the set target value. The ECU limits the gradual change speed of the throttle opening degree for a predetermined period such that a changing speed of the engine speed is suppressed at a reverse time when a direction of torque transmitted between the driving system and the engine is reversed. As a result, shock produced when the direction of torque between the driving system and the engine is switched is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironobu Makino, Koji Wada, Kenichiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20040112335
    Abstract: A vehicle engine is coupled to a driving system that includes a torque converter and an automatic transmission. An ECU sets a target value of an opening degree of a throttle valve based on a depression degree of an acceleration pedal. The ECU changes the throttle opening degree at a predetermined gradual change speed such that the throttle opening degree reaches the set target value. The ECU limits the gradual change speed of the throttle opening degree for a predetermined period such that a changing speed of the engine speed is suppressed at a reverse time when a direction of torque transmitted between the driving system and the engine is reversed. As a result, shock produced when the direction of torque between the driving system and the engine is switched is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironobu Makino, Koji Wada, Kenichiro Sato
  • Patent number: 5722882
    Abstract: An automatic coin discharge apparatus includes a housing which has a coin-receiving opening and a coin discharge opening, a coin-storing unit which extends in the horizontal direction in the housing and stores a plurality of coins of the same denomination in a piled-up state in one line in the horizontal direction with side surfaces of the coins facing each other, a coin-urging member which urges the plurality of coins in the coin line in the coin-storing unit toward one end portion of the coin-storing unit in a direction along the coin line, a coin transporting unit which extends in the housing from the coin-receiving opening toward the one end portion of the coin-storing unit and transports coins received by the coin-receiving opening toward the one end portion of the coin-storing unit, a coin inserting unit which inserts coins transported toward the one end portion of the coin-storing unit by the coin transporting unit, into a position nearest to the one end portion of the coin-storing unit in the coin lin
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 3, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha TEC
    Inventors: Kyouichi Kashiwagi, Masakazu Tanaka, Hironobu Makino