Patents by Inventor Koichi Kokubo
Koichi Kokubo 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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Publication number: 20110210604Abstract: In a braking control apparatus, a plurality of pumps are driven by a common first motor. A brake supplies operating fluid to pipelines by operating the first motor, and controls opening/closing of a fluid pressure regulating valve so as to make the wheel cylinder pressure in the right front wheel approach the right front wheel target pressure, and controls opening closing of a fluid pressure regulating valve so as to make the wheel cylinder pressure in the left rear wheel approach the left rear wheel target pressure. In the case where the right front wheel target pressure is zero when the fluid pressure regulating valve is to be opened so as to make the wheel cylinder pressure in the left rear wheel approach the left rear wheel target pressure, the brake turns off the first motor.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2009Publication date: September 1, 2011Inventors: Takayuki Yamamoto, Tetsuya Miyazaki, Hiroyuki Matsubayashi, Hiroaki Niino, Koichi Kokubo
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Patent number: 8002364Abstract: A control unit of a brake apparatus includes a compensation braking force controlling device for controlling a compensation braking force in response to an operation of a brake operating member so that a characteristic of a total braking force relative to the operation of the brake operating member agrees with a predetermined target characteristic. The total braking force is a sum of the compensation braking force containing a pressurizing hydraulic braking force based upon at least the pressurization and a basic hydraulic pressure braking force based upon the basic hydraulic pressure. The compensation braking force controlling device includes: a judging device for judging whether the vehicle has stopped, and a limiting device for limiting the amount of pressurization via a pressure control valve when the judging device determines that the vehicle has stopped.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2007Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Kazuya Maki, Masayuki Naito
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Patent number: 7878605Abstract: A brake apparatus for a vehicle generally sets an upper limit value of regenerative braking force to the maximum value of the regenerative braking force which can be generated at the present. In the case of a front-wheel-drive vehicle, the total braking force, the sum of front-wheel braking force (front-wheel hydraulic braking force+regenerative braking force) and rear-wheel braking force (rear-wheel hydraulic braking force), is rendered coincident with a target braking force corresponding to a brake pedal depressing force, and the regenerative braking force is set to a largest possible value equal to or less than the upper limit value. As a result, the regenerative braking force can be larger than front-wheel-side target distribution braking force. The upper limit value is decreased from the maximum value by an amount corresponding to the degree of easiness of occurrence of a locking tendency at the driven wheels (front wheels).Type: GrantFiled: July 12, 2006Date of Patent: February 1, 2011Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Masahiro Matsuura, Shigeru Saito, Yuji Sengoku
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Patent number: 7761214Abstract: A vehicle deceleration control device is provided that can determine an appropriate supplemental braking force when a braking force is applied according to an accelerator operation state. An engine braking-equivalent braking force is varied according to an initial accelerator angle when an accelerator returns and according to an accelerator return speed. That is, the greater the initial accelerator angle is, or the greater the accelerator return speed is, the greater the value to which the engine braking-equivalent braking force is set. It therefore becomes possible to determine the appropriate supplemental braking force that reflects the driver's braking intention.Type: GrantFiled: November 7, 2006Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Saito, Koichi Kokubo, Masahiro Matsuura, Yuji Sengoku
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Patent number: 7695076Abstract: Based on whether a requisite braking torque is less than a drive torque of the driving wheel, braking force is generated for only driving wheels, or braking force is generated for driven wheels, in addition to that for the driving wheels. Thus, it is possible to maintain the creep speed to the target speed and achieve a suitable front and rear braking force distribution on downward slope roads where a gravity impellent is acting on the vehicle, as well as on flat roads and upward slope roads. The ability to achieve such a suitable front and rear braking force distribution ensures that the driven wheels will not easily lock up on a low ? road surface or the like.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 2006Date of Patent: April 13, 2010Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
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Publication number: 20100066164Abstract: There is provided a braking control device whereby operating noise caused by the drive frequency of the proportional electromagnetic valve can be reduced without reducing the performance of fluid pressure control.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 9, 2009Publication date: March 18, 2010Applicant: ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventor: Koichi KOKUBO
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Patent number: 7597409Abstract: A control unit of a brake apparatus for a vehicle comprises target braking force determining means determining a target value corresponding to a target braking force that is a target value of a braking force on the basis of a basic value corresponding to the basic hydraulic pressure, compensation braking force controlling means controlling a compensation braking force so that a total value corresponding to a total braking force is equal to the target value corresponding to the target braking force, and the target braking force determining means including hunting reducing hydraulic pressure calculating means calculating a controlling value corresponding to a hunting reducing hydraulic pressure, the controlling value obtained by applying process to the basic hydraulic pressure in order to control a variation thereof, and the target value corresponding to the target braking force is determined by use of the controlling value corresponding to the hunting reducing hydraulic pressure.Type: GrantFiled: March 22, 2007Date of Patent: October 6, 2009Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Kazuya Maki, Masayuki Naito
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Publication number: 20090243382Abstract: A braking control apparatus includes a brake operating member, a hydraulic circuit supplying a wheel cylinder hydraulic pressure to a wheel cylinder, a pump generating a hydraulic pressure so that the wheel cylinder hydraulic pressure reaches a value in response to an operation of the brake operating member, a circulation conduit provided at a portion of the hydraulic circuit, the circulation conduit through which a partial amount of brake fluid discharged from the pump is circulated back to the pump, a pressure regulating valve adjust a pressure difference between an upstream side of the pressure regulating valve connected to the wheel cylinder and a downstream side, and a controlling device calculating, on the basis of a circulation flow rate of the brake fluid passing through the pressure regulating valve, an applied current to the pressure regulating valve for obtaining a target of the pressure difference and controlling the applied current.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 26, 2009Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: Hidehiro Yamauchi, Koichi Kokubo, Hiroaki Niino, Takeshi Hato, Masayoshi Takeda
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Patent number: 7587267Abstract: This apparatus determines that a driver demands the maintenance of a vehicle body speed from a cancel operation (ON?OFF) of an acceleration requiring operation by an accelerator pedal or a cancel operation (ON?OFF) of a deceleration requiring operation by a brake pedal BP, so that it detects a “body-speed-maintenance requiring operation” (at time t1), and stores the vehicle body speed Vso at the point of the detection as a “required maintenance vehicle speed Vref”. When the apparatus determines that the vehicle is on a downhill after the detection of the “body-speed-maintenance requiring operation” (time t2), it feedback-controls the brake hydraulic pressure Pw to thereby start and execute the automatic control (downhill speed control) of the vehicle body speed Vso such that the vehicle body speed Vso is maintained at the required maintenance vehicle speed Vref.Type: GrantFiled: April 7, 2006Date of Patent: September 8, 2009Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
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Patent number: 7575287Abstract: An improved vehicle brake system for controlling the frictional braking force and the regenerative braking force to be applied to a wheel of a vehicle. The brake system reduces the regenerative braking force to a predetermined force and keeps the regenerative braking force at the predetermined force before the start of anti-lock control. When the anti-lock control starts, the brake system decreases the regenerative braking force from the predetermined force. With this arrangement, it is possible to quickly eliminate a locking tendency of any wheel of the vehicle, thereby stabilizing the vehicle.Type: GrantFiled: August 22, 2006Date of Patent: August 18, 2009Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Matsuura, Koichi Kokubo, Shigeru Saito, Yuji Sengoku
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Patent number: 7571967Abstract: A brake apparatus for a vehicle controls braking force acting on front wheels by hydraulic braking force (front-wheel-side vacuum-booster hydraulic pressure fraction+linear-valve differential pressure fraction), which is frictional braking force, and regenerative braking force, and controls braking force acting on rear wheels by hydraulic braking force (rear-wheel-side vacuum-booster hydraulic pressure fraction) only, to thereby perform regeneration-coordinative brake control. During performance of ABS control, the apparatus sets the limit regenerative braking force to a force under which locking of the front wheels does not occur in a case in which the force acts on the front wheels, which are wheels undergoing regenerative braking, and adjusts the regenerative braking force such that the regenerative braking force does not exceed the limit regenerative braking force.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2006Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Shigeru Saito, Masahiro Matsuura, Koichi Kokubo, Yuji Sengoku
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Patent number: 7559613Abstract: The automatic brake control unit can be applied to an automatic braking device including a reservoir that can suck a brake fluid discharged from a master cylinder, and a cut valve that can permit or prohibit the introduction of the brake fluid into the reservoir. The unit opens the cut valve during automatic brake control. Thus, the brake fluid discharged from the master cylinder according to a brake-pedal stroke is sucked into the reservoir by the maximum capacity of the reservoir during a brake override. Consequently, the relationship between the brake-pedal stroke and the wheel-cylinder pressure during the brake override can be brought close to that for the case where automatic brake control is not in operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 8, 2005Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
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Publication number: 20080236959Abstract: A vehicle brake system, capable of realizing a brake-by-wire construction which can be installed in vehicles in the same manner as conventional brake systems, is provided with a booster device, a master cylinder, wheel brakes, and a hydraulic pressure control device interposed between the master cylinder and the wheel brakes. The system is further provided with a stroke sensor for detecting the moving stroke of a brake pedal, a simulator for applying to the brake pedal a pseudo reaction force corresponding to the moving stroke of the brake pedal, a play or idling component arranged between the booster device and the hydraulic pressure control device for absorbing the moving stroke of the brake pedal by a predetermined amount, and an electronic control device for controlling the hydraulic pressure control device based on an input from the stroke sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 7, 2008Publication date: October 2, 2008Inventors: Koichi Hashida, Yusuke Morikawa, Masayuki Naito, Koichi Kokubo
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Publication number: 20080174173Abstract: A brake control device for a vehicle, which controls a pressure difference control valve and a pump provided at a main and a auxiliary conduits respectively to control a flow of brake fluid supplied from a master cylinder to a wheel cylinder, includes a determining step for determining whether or not to execute a brake control in an emergency situation, a first control step for controlling the pressure difference control valve to be in a pressure difference generating state and for controlling the pump to supply the brake fluid to the main conduit through the auxiliary conduit, and a second control step for controlling the pressure difference control valve to be in a fluid communicating state, and for controlling the pump to supply the brake fluid to the main conduit through the auxiliary conduit, wherein the second control means is executed before the first control means in the emergency situation.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2008Publication date: July 24, 2008Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Kazutoshi Yogo
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Publication number: 20080009996Abstract: A vehicle deceleration control device is provided that can determine an appropriate supplemental braking force when a braking force is applied according to an accelerator operation state. An engine braking-equivalent braking force is varied according to an initial accelerator angle when an accelerator returns and according to an accelerator return speed. That is, the greater the initial accelerator angle is, or the greater the accelerator return speed is, the greater the value to which the engine braking-equivalent braking force is set. It therefore becomes possible to determine the appropriate supplemental braking force that reflects the driver's braking intention.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2006Publication date: January 10, 2008Applicant: ADVICS CO., LTD.Inventors: Shigeru Saito, Koichi Kokubo, Masahiro Matsuura, Yuji Sengoku
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Publication number: 20070284936Abstract: A vehicle brake system is provided with a brake ECU serving as controlled hydraulic brake force control means for executing a controlled hydraulic brake force control to decrease the rotational speed of an electric motor when at least both of a regenerative brake force and a controlled hydraulic brake force are being applied. The brake ECU decreases the rotational speed of the electric motor when the gradient of a target controlled hydraulic brake force being a controlled hydraulic pressure command value given to a hydraulic brake device is downhill or is not present. Thus, the pressured fluid supplied from a pump driven by the electric motor to be supplied to wheel cylinders of a vehicle is decreased to enhance the efficiency in utilizing the regenerative energy which an electric motor for driving the vehicle has in dependence on the stepping state of a brake pedal.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2007Publication date: December 13, 2007Inventors: Kazuya Maki, Koichi Kokubo, Masayuki Naito
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Patent number: 7303241Abstract: A pump drive motor control apparatus controls a motor used for driving a hydraulic pump. Every time the supply of electricity to the motor is resumed (every time the motor control signal changes from a low level to a high level), the apparatus measures a time which the voltage generated by the motor requires to decrease by a predetermined amount, the time indicating the decreasing speed of the generated voltage. The apparatus normally sets the high-level maintenance time, in which the motor control signal is maintained high, to a base time. When a state in which the measured time is not longer than a reference time is detected a predetermined number of times (3 times) or more, the apparatus determines that the load of the pump is heavy. In such a case, the apparatus increases the average rotational speed of the motor by increasing the high-level maintenance time.Type: GrantFiled: September 15, 2004Date of Patent: December 4, 2007Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
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Patent number: 7284803Abstract: In a vehicle brake apparatus, front-wheel brake power is controlled with fluid pressure brake power (a front-wheel VB fluid pressure part Fvbf+an increase in fluid pressure brake power equivalent to a liner valve pressure difference ?P1) and regenerative brake power Freg, while rear-wheel brake power is controlled with only fluid pressure brake power (a rear-wheel VB fluid pressure part Fvbr+an increase in fluid pressure brake power equivalent to a liner valve pressure difference ?P2), so that regenerative and cooperative brake controlling is executed. When a brake pedal is additionally depressed during front/rear brake power proportion controlling, the shortage of the total brake power is compensated by adding additional brake power Fadd, which is the same as rear-wheel brake power shortage ?Fr generated by the additional depression, to the front-wheel brake power.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2005Date of Patent: October 23, 2007Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.Inventors: Masahiro Matsuura, Shigeru Saito, Koichi Kokubo, Yuji Sengoku
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Publication number: 20070228821Abstract: A braking apparatus for a vehicle includes a hydraulic brake apparatus generating a basic hydraulic pressure so that a basic hydraulic braking force is generated at wheels, the hydraulic brake apparatus generating a controlled hydraulic pressure so that a controlled hydraulic braking force is generated at the wheels, a regenerative brake apparatus causing a regenerative braking force to be generated at any of the wheels, and braking force replacement controlling means for gradually replacing the regenerative braking force with the controlled hydraulic braking force while braking during which at least the regenerative braking force is applied for a purpose of achieving a braking force replacement control to ensure a total braking force required for the wheels by decreasing the regenerative braking force at a gradient within a predetermined range and by increasing the controlled hydraulic braking force in response to the decrease of the regenerative braking force.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2007Publication date: October 4, 2007Inventors: Kazuya Maki, Koichi Kokubo, Masayuki Naito
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Publication number: 20070228823Abstract: A control unit of a brake apparatus includes: a compensation braking force controlling means for controlling a compensation braking force in response to an operation of a brake operating member so that a characteristic of a total braking force relative to the operation of the brake operating member agrees with a predetermined target characteristic. The total braking force is a sum of the compensation braking force containing a pressurizing hydraulic braking force based upon at least the pressurization and a basic hydraulic pressure braking force based upon the basic hydraulic pressure. The compensation braking force controlling means includes: a judging means for judging whether the vehicle has stopped; and a limiting means for limiting the amount of pressurization via a pressure control valve when the judging means determines that the vehicle has stopped.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 22, 2007Publication date: October 4, 2007Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Kazuya Maki, Masayuki Naito