Patents by Inventor Kouji Shibuya

Kouji Shibuya 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: 6676566
    Abstract: A control system for an automatic transmission of a vehicle is disclosed. The automatic transmission operates in a manual operating mode in which a shift position of the automatic transmission can be changed according to a shift instruction issued by a driver of the vehicle, or in an automatic operating mode in which the shift position is automatically selected. In the control system, a slow running intention of the driver is detected. A first shift position is set to a starting shift position at the time of starting the vehicle when the slow running intention of the driver is not detected in the manual operating mode. A second shift position which is lower in transmission gear ratio than the first shift position is set to the starting shift position when the slow running intention of the driver is detected in the manual operating mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Masatoshi Shimizu, Satoru Sunada, Kouji Shibuya, Osahide Miyamoto, Takamichi Shimada
  • Publication number: 20020049117
    Abstract: A control system for an automatic transmission of a vehicle is disclosed. The automatic transmission operates in a manual operating mode in which a shift position of the automatic transmission can be changed according to a shift instruction issued by a driver of the vehicle, or in an automatic operating mode in which the shift position is automatically selected. In the control system, a slow running intention of the driver is detected. A first shift position is set to a starting shift position at the time of starting the vehicle when the slow running intention of the driver is not detected in the manual operating mode. A second shift position which is lower in transmission gear ratio than the first shift position is set to the starting shift position when the slow running intention of the driver is detected in the manual operating mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2001
    Publication date: April 25, 2002
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Masatoshi Shimizu, Satoru Sunada, Kouji Shibuya, Osahide Miyamoto, Takamichi Shimada
  • Patent number: 6068575
    Abstract: At downshifting, hydraulic pressure of hydraulic clutch on engaging side (ON clutch pressure) is increased when an input and output speed ratio ("Gratio") has fallen below a predetermined value YGDNS. YGDNS is variably set depending on the vehicle speed and the engine temperature so that it becomes a lower value at a high vehicle speed than at a low vehicle speed, and a higher value at a low engine temperature than at a high temperature. When a downshifting command to a still lower speed stage is issued during downshifting control (when FTBD=1), a downshifting completion processing is performed in the course of the downshifting control (step in S111). Oil pressure in a hydraulic engaging element on the disengaging side QDNOFF and oil pressure in a hydraulic engaging element on the engaging side QDNON are switched to the oil pressures at the time of completion of downshifting, to thereby complete the first step downshifting control at an early time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoichi Tanizawa, Shinichi Nishio, Takehiro Katakura, Kazuo Okada, Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Kouji Shibuya, Norio Nakauchi, Osahide Miyamoto, Akio Tsuura
  • Patent number: 6007458
    Abstract: Upshifting is performed in a short time without giving rise to shocks. For that purpose, at the time of upshifting, a hydraulic pressure (QUPOFF) of a hydraulic engaging element on disengaging side is controlled such that the input and output speed ratio ("Gratio") of a transmission is decreased to, and held at, a predetermined slipping region (YG(N)S) that is lower than an engaging region (YG(N)L)-YG(N)H) to be set based on a gear ratio which is established by the engagement of the hydraulic engaging element on the disengaging side. The hydraulic pressure (QUPON) of a hydraulic engaging element on engaging side is gradually increased. When "Gratio" once falls below YG(N)L and then increases up again to YGCONOK, QUPOFF is lowered to a predetermined low pressure (QUPOFFB) at a lapse of a predetermined time (YTMUP8). Once "Gratio">YGCONOK, QUPON is increased to a predetermined high pressure QUPONB at a lapse of a second predetermined time YTMUP3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 28, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Shoichi Tanizawa, Kouji Shibuya, Hiromitsu Ishibashi, Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 5997436
    Abstract: Both shocks and time lag at the time of gear-in are reduced. For that purpose, the hydraulic pressure of a hydraulic engaging element to be engaged at the time of gear-in (in-gear pressure) QING is increased relatively rapidly at the beginning of gear-in. The speed of increase of QING is lowered after the input and output speed ratio "Gratio" of a transmission has exceeded a predetermined value YINGS which works as a basis for discriminating the start of engagement of the hydraulic engaging element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuya, Hiroyuki Nakamura, Toshiyuki Suzuki, Akio Tsuura, Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 5992255
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a hydraulically operated vehicular transmission having a plurality of speed stages to be established by a selecting operation of a plurality of hydraulic clutches, when a command to downshift to G(N-2) is issued in the course of downshifting to G(N-1) and a flag FTBD is set to 1, a control is performed to accelerate the time of completion of the downshifting control to G(N-1). When that oil temperature in the transmission which is detected by an oil temperature sensor is lower than a predetermined value, the setting of FTBD to 1 is prohibited. Therefore, at the time of low oil temperature, the downshifting to G(N-1) is performed in an ordinary manner. At the time of starting of the downshifting control from G(N-1) to G(N-2), the hydraulic pressure in the hydraulic clutch for the speed stage G(N-1) is sufficiently increased. A smooth downshifting to G(N-2) can thus be smoothly performed without the occurrence of excessive engine racing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironori Fujita, Osahide Miyamoto, Kouji Shibuya, Yoshiaki Shuto, Hiroyuki Takeo, Hiroyuki Katano
  • Patent number: 5947864
    Abstract: Manual speed changing is performed in a shorter time without giving rise to shocks. For that purpose, at the time of manual speed changing, a hydraulic pressure QUPON of a hydraulic engaging element on the engaging side is corrected by boosting. A correction value QUPONX before starting of an inertia phase and a correction value QUPONY after starting of the inertia phase are separately set. By making QUPONX>QUPONY, the time required for manual speed changing as well as the shocks at the time of speed changing are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 7, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tatsuyuki Ohashi, Kouji Shibuya, Kazuo Okada
  • Patent number: 5893438
    Abstract: A facing surface of a clutch piston is previously moved to a position just before it abuts against an inner surface of a torque converter cover, or a position in which it extremely slightly abuts against the inner surface of the torque converter cover by outputting an initial engage pressure YMIN set in accordance with a vehicle speed and the like only for a predetermined time TMPS prior to the start of engagement of a lockup clutch. When the engagement of the lockup clutch is started, the engage pressure is gradually increased. When the engage pressure approaches a target pressure set in accordance with the target speed ratio, a feedback control of the engage pressure is carried out such that the actual speed ratio of the torque converter is converged to the target speed ratio. Thus, when the lockup clutch of the torque converter is brought into an engaged state, the responsiveness can be enhanced while preventing the generation of a shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 13, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Hasegawa, Akio Tsuura, Yoshinori Yamamoto, Kazuhiro Nakajima, Takashi Arai, Kouji Shibuya
  • Patent number: 4998117
    Abstract: In a thermal transfer recording apparatus comprising an ink film coated with a heat-fusion type ink, an ink film supplying roller rotatably mounted at a first support member, an ink film winding roller rotatably mounted at a second support member, and a recording station wherein a recording material contacts with the ink film to be recorded an image information by a heat transfer, the first and second support members are rotatable respectively around a first axis and a second axis provided at ends of a rotating member which connects the first and second support members, so that the first and second support members integrally rotate around a third axis provided substantially at a center of the rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 1989
    Date of Patent: March 5, 1991
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuya, Junichi Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 4893134
    Abstract: A thermal transfer recording apparatus for carrying out recording by driving a thermal head to transfer ink of an ink film in transportation. This apparatus includes a separating device disposed downstream of the thermal head with respect to a direction of ink film movement and spaced from a platen roller. The separating device has an uneven surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 1988
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1990
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Yamamoto, Akihiko Onuma, Kouji Shibuya, Yasukuni Omata
  • Patent number: 4642656
    Abstract: A thermal printer automatically varies torque of a slip clutch provided between a motor and an ink film takeup roller with movements of a thermal head such that the torque transmitted to the takeup roller is smaller when the thermal head is in a transfer position than when the thermal head is in a non-transfer position. This assures that the takeup roller is driven properly by increasing the torque transmitted to the takeup roller when the thermal head is in the non-transfer position and an ink film is taken up in a large amount. When the thermal head is in the transfer position and the ink film is taken up in a small amount, the torque transmitted to the takeup roller is reduced to avoid a great tension acting on the ink film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1985
    Date of Patent: February 10, 1987
    Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kouji Shibuya, Chiharu Imazeki