Patents by Inventor Kaori Tanishima

Kaori Tanishima 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: 9327715
    Abstract: An electric vehicle control device is provided that ensures a required coupling capacity precision of a friction coupling element by appropriately switching a torque sharing rate during a shift transition period. The control device includes a motor, an automatic transmission, a shift controller, a frictional engagement element, a control unit and an engagement capacity control section. The frictional engagement element is disposed in a power transmission path from the motor to a driving wheel. The control unit switching delays switching a torque sharing rate of the frictional engagement element during a shift transition period until the start of the shifting procedure, and continuously switches the current gear sharing rate to a subsequent gear sharing rate in accordance with a degree of the shifting procedure when the shifting procedure starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Fumihiro Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 9216731
    Abstract: Provided is a control system for a hybrid vehicle capable of achieving engine startup while minimizing shock. In the control system for a hybrid vehicle, in response to an engine startup request, upon engagement of a clutch between a motor generator and a drive wheel and startup of the engine by the motor generator, engine startup is allowed when the engine startup request is present and the absolute value of the motor/generator output torque assumes a predetermined value or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura, Kenichiro Gunji
  • Publication number: 20150353071
    Abstract: An electric vehicle control device is provided that ensures a required coupling capacity precision of a friction coupling element by appropriately switching a torque sharing rate during a shift transition period. The control device includes a motor, an automatic transmission, a shift controller, a frictional engagement element, a control unit and an engagement capacity control section. The frictional engagement element is disposed in a power transmission path from the motor to a driving wheel. The control unit switching delays switching a torque sharing rate of the frictional engagement element during a shift transition period until the start of the shifting procedure, and continuously switches the current gear sharing rate to a subsequent gear sharing rate in accordance with a degree of the shifting procedure when the shifting procedure starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2014
    Publication date: December 10, 2015
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co.,
    Inventors: Kaori TANISHIMA, Fumihiro YAMANAKA
  • Patent number: 9205833
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device includes an engine start control section that begins an engine start control when a mode transition request to change to a hybrid vehicle mode occurs due to an accelerator operation while traveling in an electric vehicle mode in which a first clutch is opened. The engine start control section begins engagement of the first clutch after slip engagement of a second clutch is determined and starting the engine using a motor as a starter motor. A negative slip detecting/predicting section detects/predicts if a slip polarity of the second clutch has transitioned from positive slip to negative slip after the engine start control has begun and before the engine has started. A forced backup start control section starts the engine with the second clutch in a fully engaged state when a transition of the second clutch to negative slip has been detected or predicted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kawamura, Kaori Tanishima, Fumihiro Yamanaka, Yutaka Takamura, Munetoshi Ueno, Noboru Kudo
  • Patent number: 9102327
    Abstract: An engine and a motor are provided. The engine and the motor are connected to each other through a first clutch whose transmitted torque capacity is adjustable. The engine is started by applying the first clutch and cranking the engine with a driving effort of the motor. A first start mode and a second start mode are employed. The first start mode is a mode in which the engine is started from rest in response to driver's accelerator operation. The second start mode is a mode in which the engine is started from rest in response to a factor other than driver's accelerator operation. The transmitted torque capacity of the first clutch during cranking of the engine is set smaller when in the second start mode than when in the first start mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8996217
    Abstract: A start operation is continuously performed until the internal combustion engine starts even when an accelerator pedal opening decreases between initiation and termination of the start operation of the internal combustion engine, and an EV mode is selected again. A motor/generator is controlled such that a torque of the motor/generator exerting to reduce a slippage of the second clutch increases as the accelerator pedal opening decreases during control of the second clutch to start the internal combustion engine, compared to a case where the accelerator pedal opening does not decrease during mode switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8983694
    Abstract: A control apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle is arranged to prevent shock and to minimize adverse influence on lag and fuel consumption when one of a start/stop control of an engine and a shift control of an automatic transmission is requested while the other control is occurring. The control apparatus includes an engine, a motor/generator, a first clutch, an automatic transmission, an integrated controller, an AT controller and an engine/transmission coordinate controlling section. When a second control request is generated during the first control, the engine/transmission coordinate controlling section starts the second control at a request timing when a condition does not exist such that a shock does not exceed an acceptable level and starts the second control at a later timing when the condition exists such that the shock would exceed the acceptable level if the second control is started at the request timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8903585
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle includes a mode selection unit for start request of an engine; a slip determination unit for determining whether or not a second clutch is allowed to slip; and a start determination unit for determining whether or not to allow the engine to start. The start determination unit prevents the engine from starting when an input rotation speed or an output rotation speed of an automatic transmission is less than a predetermined value in the presence of the start request of the engine from the mode selection unit and the slip determination unit determines that the second clutch is not allowed to slip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Haruhisa Tsuchikawa, Yutaka Takamura, Takeshi Ohno, Tomoyuk Kodawara
  • Patent number: 8874299
    Abstract: A vehicle control system of the electrically driven vehicle, wherein the engagement element slip process is carried out for the slipping of the transmission engagement element on the basis of the detection by the detecting section; and the control system has a clutch torque control section that is programmed to work as follows: during the engagement element slip process, the target motor/generator torque, which is increased from the drive torque of the motor/generator by a clutch slip accelerating torque portion for accelerating the slipping of the drive transmission engagement element for the drive torque of the motor/generator, is output from the motor/generator. In addition, when the preset slip accelerating torque suppression condition is met, the torque control for decreasing the drive torque of the motor/generator is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hirata, Kaori Tanishima
  • Patent number: 8868276
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device is provided with an engine, a motor and a mode switch section, an automatic transmission and a controller. The controller outputs the gear shift command prior to an engine start command when a simultaneous output prediction condition is met that predicts the output of a gear shift request and a start request at the same time. In this way, the generation of a large shock by the entering of the engine start in the start prohibiting region during the gear shift is prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura, Fumihiro Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20140303822
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device includes an engine start control section that begins an engine start control when a mode transition request to change to a hybrid vehicle mode occurs due to an accelerator operation while traveling in an electric vehicle mode in which a first clutch is opened. The engine start control section begins engagement of the first clutch after slip engagement of a second clutch is determined and starting the engine using a motor as a starter motor. A negative slip detecting/predicting section detects/predicts if a slip polarity of the second clutch has transitioned from positive slip to negative slip after the engine start control has begun and before the engine has started. A forced backup start control section starts the engine with the second clutch in a fully engaged state when a transition of the second clutch to negative slip has been detected or predicted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2012
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Inventors: Hiroaki Kawamura, Kaori Tanishima, Fumihiro Yamanaka, Yutaka Takamura, Munetoshi Ueno, Noboru Kudo
  • Patent number: 8798836
    Abstract: A control device is provided to reduce an engine start shock when there is a request to start the engine in response to the accelerator pedal depression and the slip polarity of the second clutch is negative. The control device for a hybrid vehicle has an engine, a motor/generator, a first clutch, a second clutch, and a mechanism for an engine start permission controlling operation. The first clutch is selectively engaged during engine start in which the motor generator is operated as the starter motor. The second clutch is interposed between the motor/generator and tires, and is slip-engaged when the engine is started. The mechanism for the engine start permission controlling operation delays starting the engine until the slip polarity becomes positive when the engine start request is produced and the slip polarity of the second clutch is negative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2014
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yutaka Takamura, Hiroyuki Ashizawa, Kaori Tanishima
  • Publication number: 20140136039
    Abstract: Provided is a control system for a hybrid vehicle capable of achieving engine startup while minimizing shock. In the control system for a hybrid vehicle, in response to an engine startup request, upon engagement of a clutch between a motor generator and a drive wheel and startup of the engine by the motor generator, engine startup is allowed when the engine startup request is present and the absolute value of the motor/generator output torque assumes a predetermined value or less. The changes are shown below: Provided is a control system for a hybrid vehicle capable of achieving engine startup while minimizing shock. In the control system for a hybrid vehicle, in response to an engine startup request, upon engagement of a clutch between a motor generator and a drive wheel and startup of the engine by the motor generator, engine startup is allowed when the engine startup request is present and the absolute value of the motor/generator output torque assumes a predetermined value or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: May 15, 2014
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura, Kenichiro Gunji
  • Publication number: 20130231815
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle control device is provided with an engine, a motor and a mode switch section, an automatic transmission and a controller. The controller outputs the gear shift command prior to an engine start command when a simultaneous output prediction condition is met that predicts the output of a gear shift request and a start request at the same time. In this way, the generation of a large shock by the entering of the engine start in the start prohibiting region during the gear shift is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura, Fumihiro Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20130231816
    Abstract: A vehicle control system of the electrically driven vehicle, wherein the engagement element slip process is carried out for the slipping of the transmission engagement element on the basis of the detection by the detecting section; and the control system has a clutch torque control section that is programmed to work as follows: during the engagement element slip process, the target motor/generator torque, which is increased from the drive torque of the motor/generator by a clutch slip accelerating torque portion for accelerating the slipping of the drive transmission engagement element for the drive torque of the motor/generator, is output from the motor/generator. In addition, when the preset slip accelerating torque suppression condition is met, the torque control for decreasing the drive torque of the motor/generator is carried out.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: Nissan Motor Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Takeshi Hirata, Kaori Tanishima
  • Publication number: 20130226384
    Abstract: A start operation is continuously performed until the internal combustion engine starts even when an accelerator pedal opening decreases between initiation and termination of the start operation of the internal combustion engine, and an EV mode is selected again. A motor/generator is controlled such that a torque of the motor/generator exerting to reduce a slippage of the second clutch increases as the accelerator pedal opening decreases during control of the second clutch to start the internal combustion engine, compared to a case where the accelerator pedal opening does not decrease during mode switching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2011
    Publication date: August 29, 2013
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura
  • Publication number: 20130218389
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle includes a mode selection unit for start request of an engine; a slip determination unit for determining whether or not a second clutch is allowed to slip; and a start determination unit for determining whether or not to allow the engine to start. The start determination unit prevents the engine from starting when an input rotation speed or an output rotation speed of an automatic transmission is less than a predetermined value in the presence of the start request of the engine from the mode selection unit and the slip determination unit determines that the second clutch is not allowed to slip.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: August 22, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Haruhisa Tsuchikawa, Yutaka Takamura, Takeshi Ohno, Tomoyuk Kodawara
  • Publication number: 20130204479
    Abstract: A control device is provided to reduce an engine start shock when there is a request to start the engine in response to the accelerator pedal depression and the slip polarity of the second clutch is negative. The control device for a hybrid vehicle has an engine, a motor/generator, a first clutch, a second clutch, and a mechanism for an engine start permission controlling operation. The first clutch is selectively engaged during engine start in which the motor generator is operated as the starter motor. The second clutch is interposed between the motor/generator and tires, and is slip-engaged when the engine is started. The mechanism for the engine start permission controlling operation delays starting the engine until the slip polarity becomes positive when the engine start request is produced and the slip polarity of the second clutch is negative.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2011
    Publication date: August 8, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yutaka Takamura, Hiroyuki Ashizawa, Kaori Tanishima
  • Publication number: 20130124027
    Abstract: A control apparatus and method for controlling a hybrid vehicle is arranged to prevent shock and to minimize adverse influence on lag and fuel consumption when one of a start/stop control of an engine and a shift control of an automatic transmission is requested while the other control is occurring. The control apparatus includes an engine, a motor/generator, a first clutch, an automatic transmission, an integrated controller, an AT controller and an engine/transmission coordinate controlling section. When a second control request is generated during the first control, the engine/transmission coordinate controlling section starts the second control at a request timing when a condition does not exist such that a shock does not exceed an acceptable level and starts the second control at a later timing when the condition exists such that the shock would exceed the acceptable level if the second control is started at the request timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Publication date: May 16, 2013
    Applicant: NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kaori Tanishima, Hiroaki Kawamura
  • Patent number: 8002059
    Abstract: A mode switching controlling device and method switches a hybrid drive (HEV) mode to an electric drive (EV) mode without engine stoppage shock. A fourth-to-fifth speed upshifting command is generated due to reduction in an accelerator opening. Then, an HEV-to-EV-mode switching command is generated. A command pressure of a direct clutch is set to 0, and an actual-pressure reduction disengages the direct clutch, causing an automatic transmission to be in a neutral state. When a first time elapses from generation of the switching command, a first clutch command pressure is set to its maximum value, and the first clutch disengages by an actual pressure increase. When a second time elapses, the engine is stopped by reducing engine torque to perform mode switching.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kaori Tanishima