Patents by Inventor Kazutomo Sawamura

Kazutomo Sawamura 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: 6290012
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle including an engine for outputting a propulsion force for the vehicle, a motor for assisting the output from the engine, and a storage unit for storing generated energy when the motor is used as a generator under the output from the engine and regenerated engine obtained from regenerative braking of the motor at the time of vehicle deceleration. Moreover, the control device includes an engine output detection device for detecting a change in output from the engine, and a motor control device for, in the case where an increase in output from the engine is detected at the time of vehicle traveling when the motor is not assisting the output from the engine, simultaneous with the increase in output, converting the increase amount in output into the generated energy using the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Takashi Kiyomiya, Teruo Wakashiro, Takashi Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 6262491
    Abstract: The control system of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a motor, and a power storage unit. The control system selects one of an air intake passage pressure assist mode (PB assist mode) corresponding to a partial load range of the engine and a throttle assist mode corresponding to the opening state of a throttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Keisuke Uchida, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Oki, Kenji Nakano, Fumihiko Konno, Takashi Kiyomiya, Nobuyuki Irie
  • Publication number: 20010004203
    Abstract: This invention relates to an engine stall prevention apparatus for a hybrid vehicle. This engine stall prevention apparatus comprises a clutch operation detection device which detects an operation of a clutch; a clutch state determination device which determines the state of the clutch based on the relationship between the vehicle speed and the engine speed; a throttle opening degree determination device which determines the degree of throttle opening of the engine; a first engine speed modification device (S010) which modifies a charging/regeneration allowing lower limit engine speed value above which deceleration regeneration by the electric motor is allowed; and a half-engaged clutch determination maintaining device (S008) which outputs a determination signal indicating that the clutch is half-engaged for a predetermined period of time when the throttle is completely closed and the clutch is determined to be half-engaged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Publication number: 20010004029
    Abstract: The control apparatus of the present invention is provided in a hybrid vehicle with a combustion engine for outputting a driving force, an electric motor for generating a force for assisting the output from the engine, depending on the driving conditions, a power storage unit for storing electric energy generated by the motor acting as a generator using the output from the engine and electric energy regenerated by the motor when the vehicle decelerates. The control apparatus includes: a speed limiter for decreasing the driving force produced by the motor when the vehicle speed exceeds a first threshold value while the engine and the motor produce the driving force; a generation starter for starting generation by the motor when the vehicle speed exceeds a second threshold value which is higher than the first threshold value; and a generation amount setting device for setting the amount of generation, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle, when the generation starter starts the generation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Fumihiko Konno
  • Patent number: 6216465
    Abstract: A control system is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a motor, and a power storage unit. The control system comprises: an assist trigger threshold value setting device for setting a throttle opening state when the motor starts assist for the output from the engine; a throttle opening state lower limit setting device for setting a lower limit by subtracting a predetermined value from the threshold value obtained by the assist trigger threshold value setting device; a generation reduction device for gradually reducing the generation by the motor between the lower limit and the threshold value so that the generation finally becomes zero when the present throttle opening state reaches the threshold value, when the vehicle shifts from a generation state, in which the motor acts as a generator and the output is supplied only from the engine, to an output assist state in which the motor assists the output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6186255
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has a transmission coupled to the output shaft of an engine for transmitting an output power of the engine to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle. A generator motor is coupled to the transmission for transmitting an assistive output power for assisting the output power of the engine through the transmission to the drive wheels. A battery stores electric energy regenerated by the generator motor, operating as an electric motor, from kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle transmitted from the drive wheels through the transmission when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated. A transmission control unit establishes a speed reduction ratio for the transmission to achieve a predetermined regeneration efficiency for the generator motor when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated, and controls the transmission at the established speed reduction ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6176081
    Abstract: In a heating device for an exhaust gas purification catalytic converter, an insulating coating or an insulating material is provided between a tubular electrode receiving member of a power relay means and an electrode received in this electrode receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, NGK Insulators, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Hironao Fukuchi, Hiroaki Kato, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yasushi Kato
  • Patent number: 6166517
    Abstract: The control system of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine and a motor, which are power sources, and a power storage unit for storing energy generated by the output from the engine and regenerative energy produced by regeneration of the motor when the vehicle decelerates. Based on monitoring the state of charge of the power storage unit, when the stored energy is discharged so that the remaining charge is decreased from an initial state of charge, which was detected when the vehicle started running, by a predetermined amount, the function of the motor is switched from the discharging of the power storage unit to the charging of the power storage unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shigetaka Kuroda, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6141615
    Abstract: A down-shift control system is provided, by which if sufficient torque cannot be obtained for an acceleration request or intention at a shift position, a down-shift operation is suitably performed so as to realize a reliable driving capability and no shift-busy phenomenon occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Saito, Yasushi Inagawa, Takanori Kon, Masamitsu Fukuchi, Masakazu Shiraishi, Kazutomo Sawamura
  • Patent number: 6112519
    Abstract: A foreign matter-removing filter is provided upstream of an electrically-heated heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Hironao Fukuchi, Hiroaki Kato, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yasushi Kato
  • Patent number: 6076032
    Abstract: A control system for a vehicle calculates a desired driving force required by the vehicle in response to operating conditions of the vehicle including an amount of operation of an accelerator pedal of the vehicle, and controls the driving force of the vehicle, based on the calculated desired driving force. The desired driving force is corrected depending on whether the vehicle is in a particular operating condition. For example, when the vehicle is in a standing condition while traveling on a road congested with traffic when the desired driving force is corrected in the decreasing direction, the correction amount of the desired driving force in the decreasing direction is corrected to a value closer to zero. The desired driving force is also corrected according to a time period over which the particular operating condition continues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Akira Kato, Jun Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yoshiharu Saito, Ryuuji Kouno
  • Patent number: 6073074
    Abstract: A throttle controller having a throttle control section is provided so as to eliminate any inconsistency in the degree of opening of the throttle at the time of mode switching, and to obtain a superior driving efficiency. In the driving mode, the throttle control section calculates the degree of opening of the throttle for generating a target driving force calculated based on a plurality of parameters including the degree of depression of the accelerator, and performs a driving-force control. In the manual mode, the throttle control section performs a control for driving the engine using a degree of opening of the throttle which one-to-one-corresponds to the degree of depression of the accelerator. When the mode is switched between the driving and manual modes, the throttle control section performs switching between the two control modes if the degree of depression of the accelerator is minimum or maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Saito, Kazutomo Sawamura, Masamitsu Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 6023647
    Abstract: An output torque control system for an internal combustion engine for a vehicle is operable during gear shifting of an automatic transmission of the engine, for changing the output torque of the engine so as to reduce a shock caused by the gear shifting. The timing of termination of the changing of the engine output torque is determined, based on a rate of change in the traveling speed of the vehicle. The changing of the engine output torque terminated at the determined timing of termination.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Saito, Kazutomo Sawamura, Shigetaka Kuroda
  • Patent number: 6019183
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has an engine for propelling the hybrid vehicle, a power transfer mechanism for transferring an output power of the engine from an output shaft thereof to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle, an electric motor for supplying an assistive output power to assist the output power of the engine through the power transfer mechanism to the drive wheels, and an electric energy storage unit for storing electric energy for energizing the electric motor. The hybrid vehicle also has a controller for controlling operation of the hybrid vehicle with the engine and the electric motor. If the amount of electric energy stored in the electric energy storage unit is greater than a predetermined quantity, the controller controls the electric motor to generate the assistive output power to start the hybrid vehicle with the electric energy supplied from the electric energy storage unit to the electric motor while the engine is idling or stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6020697
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has a generator motor coupled to the output shaft of an engine through a transfer shaft, for transmitting an assistive output power for assisting an output power of the engine through the transfer shaft to the output shaft of the engine. A battery stores electric energy regenerated by the generator motor from kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle transmitted from the output shaft of the engine through the transfer shaft. A generator is mounted on the transfer shaft and has an electric energy generating ability smaller than the generator motor. The generator generates electric energy to energize another device than the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6009965
    Abstract: A torque shock alleviating device in a hybrid vehicle utilizing both an engine and an electric motor as drive sources, whereby a torque shock is not generated when the rich-spiking of the air-fuel mixture is carried out in order to restore the adsorbing ability of an NOx adsorbing device in the hybrid vehicle. When an engine is operated in a lean burn manner, NOx in an exhaust gas is adsorbed to an NOx adsorbing device provided in an exhaust passage. When the adsorbing ability of the NOx adsorbing device reaches a saturated level, a rich-spiking for temporarily enrichening the air-fuel mixture of the engine is carried out to restore the adsorbing ability of the NOx adsorbing device. When the output torque from the engine is increased by the rich-spiking, a regenerative braking force is generated in a motor, thereby moderating the increase in output torque from the engine by such regenerative braking force to alleviate the torque shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshikatsu Takanohashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro, Hiroshi Ohno
  • Patent number: 5944765
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine for a vehicle operable during gear shifting of the automatic transmission effected when the accelerator pedal of the vehicle has been depressed, for changing the output torque of the engine to reduce a shock generated during the gear shifting. Required output torque of the engine for performing the gear shifting is calculated based on a gear shifting duration from the time the gear shifting is started to the time hydraulic pressure for operating a clutch of a lower-speed position of the clutches to be selected by the gear shifting rises. A torque correction amount is calculated based on the difference between the calculated required output torque of the engine and the actual output torque of the engine assumed during the gear shifting. When the gear shifting is started, the output torque of the engine is increased based on the calculated torque correction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 31, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshiharu Saito, Kazutomo Sawamura, Ryuuji Kouno
  • Patent number: 5935185
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine for a vehicle. Upon starting of gear shifting of an automatic transmission of the engine, which increases the change gear ratio of the automatic transmission, the output torque of the engine is increased to reduce a shock generated during the gear shifting. Retrogression of the gear shifting in the inertia phase of the automatic transmission is detected, and when the retrogression is detected, the output torque of the engine is additionally increased. A control amount for additionally increasing the output torque of the engine is calculated, and the timing of termination of the additional increasing of the output torque of the engine is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutomo Sawamura, Yoshiharu Saito, Shigetaka Kuroda
  • Patent number: 5908368
    Abstract: An output torque control system for an internal combustion engine for a vehicle is responsive to a stepping-on amount of the accelerator pedal, for controlling output torque from the engine. Upon detection of an operation for starting the vehicle, the output torque from the engine is inhibited from being controlled to an increased value in response to the stepping-on amount of the accelerator pedal over a predetermined time period. It is determined that the operation for starting the vehicle has been carried out, when the accelerator pedal has been stepped on and a change in the shift position of the automatic transmission has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutomo Sawamura, Akira Kato, Yoshiharu Saito, Jun Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5890994
    Abstract: An output torque control system for an internal combustion engine for a vehicle is operable during an upshift of an automatic transmission of the engine to increase the output torque from the engine, based on a control amount for increasing the output torque, to reduce a shock generated by the upshift. During the upshift of the automatic transmission, a slip amount of one of a plurality of clutches of the automatic transmission which is selected for the upshift is compared with a predetermined value. A calculation is made of a value of the control amount assumed when the slip amount of the one clutch becomes equal to the predetermined value, as a result of the comparison. The control amount is limited to the calculated value when the slip amount exceeds the predetermined value, as a result of the comparison.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 6, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazutomo Sawamura, Yoshiharu Saito, Shigetaka Kuroda