Patents by Inventor Hironori Kitadani

Hironori Kitadani 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: 10253684
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes a secondary air supply device having a secondary air supply passage that supplies secondary air pumped by an air pump into an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine and an opening/closing unit that opens and closes the secondary air supply passage. A controller provided in the internal combustion engine control apparatus sets the opening/closing unit in an open condition such that the secondary air is supplied to the secondary air supply passage, and then executes foreign matter removal control in which the opening/closing unit is opened and closed. As a result, foreign matter caught in an ASV during AI control is removed immediately. By implementing OBD after removing the foreign matter, detection of an open sticking abnormality caused by foreign matter caught in the ASV is suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kondo, Ryosuke Tsukamoto, Hironori Kitadani, Jun Aoki, Shinsuke Kiyomiya, Kazuyoshi Tashiro, Satoshi Kawai, Tatsuro Nakata
  • Publication number: 20140230757
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine control apparatus includes a secondary air supply device having a secondary air supply passage that supplies secondary air pumped by an air pump into an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine and an opening/closing unit that opens and closes the secondary air supply passage. A controller provided in the internal combustion engine control apparatus sets the opening/closing unit in an open condition such that the secondary air is supplied to the secondary air supply passage, and then executes foreign matter removal control in which the opening/closing unit is opened and closed. As a result, foreign matter caught in an ASV during AI control is removed immediately. By implementing OBD after removing the foreign matter, detection of an open sticking abnormality caused by foreign matter caught in the ASV is suppressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: August 21, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Kondo, Ryosuke Tsukamoto, Hironori Kitadani, Jun Aoki, Shinsuke Kiyomiya, Kazuyoshi Tashiro, Satoshi Kawai, Tatsuro Nakata
  • Patent number: 8065982
    Abstract: In a variable intake apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine, each of plural intake pipes is separated from a surge tank by a partition wall, and communication ports, provided in the partition wall for the respective intake pipes, are opened and closed by respective variable intake valves to adjust length of intake passages. The variable intake valves in one of two parallel rows are offset from the variable intake valves in the other row. The variable intake valves are opened and closed by turning the turning shafts to which the variable intake valves are connected. Further, a synchronization mechanism synchronously turns the turning shafts (5a; 5b), and is connected between the paired turning shafts. The turning motion of one turning shaft is transmitted to the other turning shaft via the synchronization mechanism, and the variable intake valves are synchronously opened and closed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2011
    Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Kitadani, Shigeo Takeuchi, Masaaki Iinuma, Shinji Iwata
  • Patent number: 7926472
    Abstract: An inlet system includes an intake manifold and an EGR inlet projecting into and received in the manifold through an insertion portion of the manifold. A leading end of the inlet is inserted into the manifold through the insertion portion, projecting to reach a target position. An insertion portion opening diameter, which is an opening diameter of one side of the insertion portion, is larger than an insertion maximum occupying diameter that is a maximum distance between a point included in a cutting surface of the inlet on a reference plane perpendicular to an insertion portion axis and a point included in a vertical projection view of the leading end. A distance between the plane and a nearest point of the leading end to the plane in an axial direction is equal to an insertion portion opening depth, which is a length of the insertion portion in the axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignees: Denso Corporation, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuji Yamanaka, Hironori Kitadani
  • Patent number: 7726272
    Abstract: A variable intake device includes an intake pipe through which air flows towards a combustion chamber of an engine, defining a first streamline at an intermediate portion of the pipe, a short-circuit pipe connected at the intermediate portion, defining a second streamline crossing the first streamline at the connected other end, and a valve arranged at the short-circuit pipe adjacent to the intermediate portion. The valve includes a valve body regulating air flow. When the valve allows air flow merging into the intake pipe from the short-circuit pipe, the valve body is positioned to extend in a direction between the extending direction of the first streamline indicated by arrow and the extending direction of the second streamline indicated by arrow. By such a configuration, a variable intake device having pressure loss at the intake path sufficiently reduced can be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Kitadani, Kazuyoshi Abe, Chiemi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20090250025
    Abstract: In a variable intake apparatus for a V-type internal combustion engine, each of plural intake pipes is separated from a surge tank by a partition wall, and communication ports, provided in the partition wall for the respective intake pipes, are opened and closed by respective variable intake valves to adjust length of intake passages. The variable intake valves in one of two parallel rows are offset from the variable intake valves in the other row. The variable intake valves are opened and closed by turning the turning shafts to which the variable intake valves are connected. Further, a synchronization mechanism synchronously turns the turning shafts (5a; 5b), and is connected between the paired turning shafts. The turning motion of one turning shaft is transmitted to the other turning shaft via the synchronization mechanism, and the variable intake valves are synchronously opened and closed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Publication date: October 8, 2009
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISAN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironori Kitadani, Shigeo Takeuchi, Masaaki Iinuma, Shinji Iwata
  • Publication number: 20090194055
    Abstract: In a variable intake apparatus for an internal combustion engine, each of a plurality of intake pipes is separated from a surge tank by a partition wall, and communication ports, provided in the partition wall for the respective intake pipes, are opened and closed by respective variable intake valves to adjust length of intake passages. In a valve housing that retains the variable intake valves, a first rib is formed in an area between each pair of the variable intake valves, in which a turning shaft is disposed and inserted. The first rib is formed in parallel with the turning shaft. The valve housing includes a fastening portion that is used to fasten the valve housing to an upper cover with a bolt. A second rib is formed in an area that is close to one of the communication ports that is close to the fastening portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2007
    Publication date: August 6, 2009
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisan Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Kitadani, Shigeo Takeuchi, Shinji Iwata
  • Publication number: 20090050096
    Abstract: A variable intake device includes an intake pipe through which air flows towards a combustion chamber of an engine, defining a first streamline at an intermediate portion of the pipe, a short-circuit pipe connected at the intermediate portion, defining a second streamline crossing the first streamline at the connected other end, and a valve arranged at the short-circuit pipe adjacent to the intermediate portion. The valve includes a valve body regulating air flow. When the valve allows air flow merging into the intake pipe from the short-circuit pipe, the valve body is positioned to extend in a direction between the extending direction of the first streamline indicated by arrow and the extending direction of the second streamline indicated by arrow. By such a configuration, a variable intake device having pressure loss at the intake path sufficiently reduced can be provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Hironori Kitadani, Kazuyoshi Abe, Chiemi Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20080295813
    Abstract: An inlet system includes an intake manifold and an EGR inlet projecting into and received in the manifold through an insertion portion of the manifold. A leading end of the inlet is inserted into the manifold through the insertion portion, projecting to reach a target position. An insertion portion opening diameter, which is an opening diameter of one side of the insertion portion, is larger than an insertion maximum occupying diameter that is a maximum distance between a point included in a cutting surface of the inlet on a reference plane perpendicular to an insertion portion axis and a point included in a vertical projection view of the leading end. A distance between the plane and a nearest point of the leading end to the plane in an axial direction is equal to an insertion portion opening depth, which is a length of the insertion portion in the axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2008
    Publication date: December 4, 2008
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuji YAMANAKA, Hironori Kitadani