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).

  • Publication number: 20070228812
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2007
    Publication date: October 4, 2007
    Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Kazuya Maki, Masayuki Naito
  • Publication number: 20070096556
    Abstract: A torque applying device is provided for applying a driving torque to at least a pair of wheels, and a torque restraining device is provided for restraining the torque created on the wheels to be applied with the torque by the torque applying device. A friction braking device is provided for applying a braking torque to each wheel in response to operation of a brake pedal. An automatic braking control device automatically actuates the friction braking device independently of operation of the brake pedal, to apply the braking torque to each wheel. And, a torque restraining control device is provided for controlling the torque restrained by the torque restraining device to be maintained within a predetermined range, when the braking torque begins to be applied by the friction braking device, after the braking torque was applied by the automatic braking control device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Yukio Mori
  • Publication number: 20070100530
    Abstract: A torque applying device is provided for applying a driving torque to at least a pair of wheels, and a torque restraining device is provided for restraining the torque created on the wheels to be applied with the torque by the torque applying device. A friction braking device is provided for applying a braking torque to each wheel in response to operation of a brake pedal. An automatic braking control device automatically actuates the friction braking device independently of operation of the brake pedal, to apply the braking torque to each wheel. And, a torque restraining cancellation device is provided for cancelling the torque restraining operation for a time period determined in response to a vehicle speed decreasing state, after a condition for initiating the automatic braking control was fulfilled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 22, 2006
    Publication date: May 3, 2007
    Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20070046099
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2006
    Publication date: March 1, 2007
    Inventors: Masahiro Matsuura, Koichi Kokubo, Shigeru Saito, Yuji Sengoku
  • Patent number: 7175241
    Abstract: When a voltage supply to a motor is switched to OFF from ON, a brake fluid pressure control apparatus determines whether a duration of time required for a terminal voltage of the motor to reach a first threshold is shorter than a first predetermined duration of time, and whether a duration of time required for a terminal voltage of the motor to reach a second threshold lower than the first threshold is shorter than a second predetermined duration of time longer than the first predetermined duration of time. Then, when determinations are made that the terminal voltage of the motor reaches the first threshold in the duration of time shorter than the first predetermined duration of time, and that the terminal voltage of the motor reaches the second threshold in the duration of time shorter than the second predetermined duration of time, the voltage supply control portion determines that the motor seizes up and controls the voltage supply to the motor in the seizing-up state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20070018499
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Masahiro Matsuura, Shigeru Saito, Yuji Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20060241844
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 7, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20060238025
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Inventors: Yukio Mori, Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20060220453
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2006
    Publication date: October 5, 2006
    Inventors: Shigeru Saito, Masahiro Matsuura, Koichi Kokubo, Yuji Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20060131956
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Masahiro Matsuura, Shigeru Saito, Koichi Kokubo, Yuji Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20060125317
    Abstract: The unit controls a linear-valve-pressure-difference braking force and a regenerative braking force so that a total braking force obtained by adding a complementary braking force that is “the sum of the increments of the respective hydraulic braking forces by linear-valve pressure differences generated by linear solenoid valves disposed for their respective systems (linear-valve-pressure-difference braking force) and a regenerative braking force” to a hydraulic braking force (VB hydraulic braking force) based on a master-cylinder pressure output from a master cylinder reaches a target value for a brake-pedal pressure. For example, for a vehicle equipped with a cross pipe arrangement, when one of the linear solenoid valves fails, the linear-valve pressure difference of a normal linear solenoid valve is set to a value as twice as large as that when both of the linear solenoid valves are normal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Koichi Kokubo, Shigeru Saito, Masahiro Matsuura, Yuji Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20060119173
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Patent number: 7021725
    Abstract: A pump drive motor control apparatus is applied to a motor for driving a hydraulic pump which supplies to a hydraulic circuit the brake fluid returned to a reservoir as a result of ABS control. When a motor inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or less than a voltage threshold in a period during which a motor control signal is at a low level (supply of electricity to the motor is stopped), the control apparatus changes the motor control signal to a high level (resumes the supply of electricity) for a predetermined time, to thereby control the rotational speed of the motor. When the cause of the start of ABS control is not a demand for excessively abrupt braking, the voltage threshold is lowered to reduce the rotational speed of the motor during a predetermined period of time immediately after the start of ABS control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2006
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20050269875
    Abstract: A vehicle brake device is provided with a hydraulic brake device for boosting by a booster device a braking manipulation force generated upon a braking manipulation, for applying a base fluid pressure generated in dependence on the boosted brake manipulation force, to wheel cylinders of wheels so that a base hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels, and for driving a pump to generate and apply a controlled fluid pressure to the wheel cylinders so that a controlled hydraulic brake force is generated on the wheels; braking manipulation state detecting means for detecting the braking manipulation state; a regenerative brake device for causing an electric motor to generate a regenerative brake force corresponding to the braking manipulation state on the wheels driven by the electric motor; variation detecting means for detecting the variation of an actual regenerative brake force actually generated by the regeneration braking device; and brake force compensating means for generating the controlled fluid p
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Inventors: Kazuya Maki, Masahiro Matsuura, Shigeru Saito, Koichi Kokubo, Yuji Sengoku
  • Publication number: 20050067893
    Abstract: When a voltage supply to a motor is switched to OFF from ON, a brake fluid pressure control apparatus determines whether a duration of time required for a terminal voltage of the motor to reach a first threshold is shorter than a first predetermined duration of time, and whether a duration of time required for a terminal voltage of the motor to reach a second threshold lower than the first threshold is shorter than a second predetermined duration of time longer than the first predetermined duration of time. Then, when determinations are made that the terminal voltage of the motor reaches the first threshold in the duration of time shorter than the first predetermined duration of time, and that the terminal voltage of the motor reaches the second threshold in the duration of time shorter than the second predetermined duration of time, the voltage supply control portion determines that the motor seizes up and controls the voltage supply to the motor in the seizing-up state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20050069418
    Abstract: 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: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2004
    Publication date: March 31, 2005
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20050002135
    Abstract: A pump drive motor control apparatus is applied to a motor for driving a hydraulic pump which pumps brake fluid returned to a reservoir as a result of ABS control and supplies the pumped brake fluid to a hydraulic circuit. When a motor inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or less than a voltage threshold in a period during which a motor control signal is at a low level (supply of electricity to the motor is stopped), the control apparatus changes the motor control signal to a high level (resumes the supply of electricity) for a predetermined time, to thereby control the rotational speed of the motor. The control apparatus reduces the rotational speed of the motor by lowering the voltage threshold, which affects the rotational speed of the motor, with the vehicle body deceleration during ABS control, which corresponds to the friction coefficient of road surface, which determines the required discharge flow rate of the hydraulic pump.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo
  • Publication number: 20040239174
    Abstract: A pump drive motor control apparatus is applied to a motor for driving a hydraulic pump which supplies to a hydraulic circuit the brake fluid returned to a reservoir as a result of ABS control. When a motor inter-terminal voltage becomes equal to or less than a voltage threshold in a period during which a motor control signal is at a low level (supply of electricity to the motor is stopped), the control apparatus changes the motor control signal to a high level (resumes the supply of electricity) for a predetermined time, to thereby control the rotational speed of the motor. When the cause of the start of ABS control is not a demand for excessively abrupt braking, the voltage threshold is lowered to reduce the rotational speed of the motor during a predetermined period of time immediately after the start of ABS control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Inventor: Koichi Kokubo