Patents by Inventor Mitsuhiro Tabata

Mitsuhiro Tabata 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: 20150367841
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a hybrid vehicle comprising a dual clutch transmission having six forward speed stages, wherein arranged between a first input shaft and a first output shaft of the transmission are: a first gear train for a first speed stage; a third gear train corresponding for a third speed stage; a fifth gear train for a fifth speed stage; and a sixth gear train for a sixth speed stage. A second gear train for a second speed stage and a fourth gear train for a fourth speed stage are arranged between a second input shaft and a second output shaft. A first sleeve is provided between the first gear train and the third gear train; a second sleeve is provided between the fifth gear train and the sixth gear train; and a third sleeve is provided between the second gear train and the fourth gear train. A second MG is provided so as to output drive power to the second input shaft.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Publication date: December 24, 2015
    Inventors: Tomoya TAKAHASHI, Mitsuhiro TABATA, Takaaki TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20150298681
    Abstract: A control apparatus is applied to a hybrid vehicle. The hybrid vehicle includes an MG which is connected with an input shaft of a manual transmission via a first clutch that is operated by a press operation to a clutch pedal and an internal combustion engine which is connected with the MG via a second clutch. The hybrid vehicle is allowed to execute an EV traveling mode where: the internal combustion engine is stopped; the internal combustion engine and drive wheels are separated by the second clutch; and the drive wheels are driven by the MG. In the control apparatus, when the EV traveling mode is executed, a required torque is obtained based on an accelerator opening degree, and a required transmission torque is obtained based on an operation amount to the clutch pedal. And, when a smaller one of the required torque and the required transmission torque is greater than a determination value, the internal combustion engine is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2014
    Publication date: October 22, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takaaki TANAKA, Mitsuhiro TABATA
  • Patent number: 9085298
    Abstract: A power transmission control device, which is applied to a hybrid-vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine (E/G) and a motor (M/G) as power sources, includes a manual transmission and a friction clutch. When the shift position is in “neutral”, the friction clutch is in an engaged state, an accelerator opening is “0”, and a battery remaining amount SOC is less than a threshold TH, a charge condition is satisfied. When the charge condition is satisfied, charge of a battery by using an E/G torque is carried out. Specifically, the M/G is driven, by using the E/G torque, as an electrical power generator, and electric energy acquired by electric power generation by the M/G is used to charge the battery. As a result, for the HV-MT vehicle, by using the internal-combustion-engine torque, the battery for supplying the electric motor with the electric energy can be efficiently charged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2015
    Assignee: Aisin Al Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Ito, Takeshige Miyazaki, Mitsuhiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 8771135
    Abstract: [Subject] In a hybrid drive power apparatus, loss of drive power caused by drag torque of a friction clutch is decreased to reduce fuel consumption rate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignees: Aisin AI Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshio Tanba, Yuichi Fukuhara, Kan Sasaki, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Masahiro Omura
  • Publication number: 20140011632
    Abstract: A power transmission control device, which is applied to a hybrid-vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine (E/G) and a motor (M/G) as power sources, includes a manual transmission and a friction clutch, When the shift position is in “neutral”, the friction clutch is in an engaged state, an accelerator opening is “0”, and a battery remaining amount SOC is less than a threshold TH, a charge condition is satisfied. When the charge condition is satisfied, charge of a battery by using an E/G torque is carried out. Specifically, the M/G is driven, by using the VG torque, as an electrical power generator, and electric energy acquired by electric power generation by the M/G is used to charge the battery. As a result, for the HV-MT vehicle, by using the internal-combustion-engine torque, the battery for supplying the electric motor with the electric energy can be efficiently charged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Publication date: January 9, 2014
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, AISIN AI CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yoshiki Ito, Takeshige Miyazaki, Mitsuhiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 8521394
    Abstract: A main ECU (71) for generating an actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern based on a current running situation of a vehicle, generating a corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern obtained by elongating an actual acceleration/deceleration period of the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern when an actual acceleration/deceleration period (T1) in the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern is shorter than a reference acceleration/deceleration period (T0) set in advance, and setting the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern as a best acceleration/deceleration running pattern when the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern is not generated and setting the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern as the best acceleration/deceleration running pattern when the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern is generated, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chika Tsumori, Osamu Komeda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Yukari Okamura, Hiroshi Tsujii
  • Publication number: 20120330505
    Abstract: A vehicle control device of a vehicle that can travel with inertia without transmitting power of an engine to drive wheels and stops an operation of an engine that generates power by fuel during an inertia travel as well as prohibits a regeneration control of a regeneration device that regenerates kinetic energy during a travel, wherein when it is estimated that predetermined energy in various types of energy in a vehicle fluctuates during the inertia travel, a regeneration control prohibition state of the regeneration device is released during the inertia travel, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Chika Tsumori, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Sachio Toyora, Yukari Okamura, Nobukazu Ueki
  • Patent number: 8170760
    Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus that can execute cranking of an internal combustion engine by transmitting a mechanical power from a rotor of a motor to an engine output shaft without executing an engaging/disengaging operation of a clutch. A driving apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes a first speed change mechanism capable of receiving mechanical power from an engine output shaft by a first input shaft and transmitting the mechanical power to drive wheels, a second speed change mechanism capable of receiving the mechanical power from the engine output shaft and a rotor by a second input shaft engaged with the rotor and transmitting the mechanical power to the drive wheels, a first clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the first input shaft, and a second clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the second input shaft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Osamu Komeda, Sachio Toyora, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Koji Murakami, Junichi Morimura
  • Patent number: 8050830
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a first transmission mechanism receiving mechanical power from an engine output shaft by a first input shaft, a second transmission mechanism receiving the mechanical power from the engine output shaft and a motor by a second input shaft, and a first clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the first input shaft. When performing cranking of an internal-combustion engine, an ECU selects a gear position of the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism to reduce speed of the mechanical power received by the second input shaft and transmit the power to the first input shaft, and puts the first clutch into an engaging state. The speed of the mechanical power from the motor is reduced by the first and second transmission mechanisms to increase torque, and power is transmitted to the engine output shaft through the first clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Komeda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Sachio Toyora, Hiroshi Sato, Koji Murakami, Junichi Morimura
  • Patent number: 7996139
    Abstract: During a starting operation or a low-speed drive of a vehicle on a slope, the drive control of the invention sets a gradient-corresponding rotation speed N? as a rotation speed of an engine to output a required driving force against a longitudinal vehicle gradient ?fr (step S110), and sequentially sets a low-?-road correction rotation speed Nlow upon identification of a low-?-road drive condition, a vehicle speed difference-compensating rotation speed Nv based on a vehicle speed V, and a brake-based correction rotation speed Nb based on a brake pressure Pb (steps S120 through S250). The drive control sets a target engine rotation speed Ne* based on these settings (step S260) and subsequently sets a target throttle opening THtag (step S270). The operation of the engine is controlled with the greater between the target throttle opening THtag and a required throttle opening THreq corresponding to an accelerator opening Acc (step S290).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Hiroshi Sato
  • Publication number: 20110174558
    Abstract: [Subject] In a hybrid drive power apparatus, loss of drive power caused by drag torque of a friction clutch is decreased to reduce fuel consumption rate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Applicant: Aisin AI Co.,Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshio Tanba, Yuichi Fukuhara, Kan Sasaki, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Masahiro Omura
  • Publication number: 20110125353
    Abstract: A driving apparatus includes a first transmission mechanism receiving mechanical power from an engine output shaft by a first input shaft, a second transmission mechanism receiving the mechanical power from the engine output shaft and a motor by a second input shaft, and a first clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the first input shaft. When performing cranking of an internal-combustion engine, an ECU selects a gear position of the first transmission mechanism and the second transmission mechanism to reduce speed of the mechanical power received by the second input shaft and transmit the power to the first input shaft, and puts the first clutch into an engaging state. The speed of the mechanical power from the motor is reduced by the first and second transmission mechanisms to increase torque, and power is transmitted to the engine output shaft through the first clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2008
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Osamu Komeda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Sachio Toyora, Hiroshi Sato, Koji Murakami, Junichi Morimura
  • Publication number: 20110054745
    Abstract: A vehicle driving apparatus that can execute cranking of an internal combustion engine by transmitting a mechanical power from a rotor of a motor to an engine output shaft without executing an engaging/disengaging operation of a clutch. A driving apparatus of a hybrid vehicle includes a first speed change mechanism capable of receiving mechanical power from an engine output shaft by a first input shaft and transmitting the mechanical power to drive wheels, a second speed change mechanism capable of receiving the mechanical power from the engine output shaft and a rotor by a second input shaft engaged with the rotor and transmitting the mechanical power to the drive wheels, a first clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the first input shaft, and a second clutch capable of engaging the engine output shaft with the second input shaft, wherein the second clutch is placed in an engaged state when operation force for executing an engaging/disengaging operation is not applied to the second clutch.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2009
    Publication date: March 3, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Sato, Osamu Komeda, Sachio Toyora, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Koji Murakami, Junichi Morimura
  • Publication number: 20100324795
    Abstract: A main ECU (71) for generating an actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern based on a current running situation of a vehicle, generating a corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern obtained by elongating an actual acceleration/deceleration period of the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern when an actual acceleration/deceleration period (T1) in the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern is shorter than a reference acceleration/deceleration period (T0) set in advance, and setting the actual acceleration/deceleration running pattern as a best acceleration/deceleration running pattern when the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern is not generated and setting the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern as the best acceleration/deceleration running pattern when the corrected acceleration/deceleration running pattern is generated, is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2009
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Chika Tsumori, Osamu Komeda, Mitsuhiro Tabata, Yukari Okamura, Hiroshi Tsujii
  • Patent number: 7715971
    Abstract: In the vehicle of the invention, when the driver releases a depressed accelerator pedal, the drive control sets a vehicle speed V at the moment to a target vehicle speed V* (step S440). An engine and a motor for outputting driving power are controlled to drive the vehicle at the target vehicle speed V*. When the driver steps on a released brake pedal, the drive control stores the target vehicle speed V* set before the driver's depression of the brake pedal as a previous target vehicle speed Vpre and cancels the setting of the target vehicle speed V* (steps S470 and S480). In response to the driver's subsequent release of the brake pedal, the drive control sets the vehicle speed V at the moment to the target vehicle speed V* (step S510) and restarts constant-speed drive (cruise drive).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabuhsiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Mitsuhiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 7587270
    Abstract: The internal combustion engine control technique of the invention computes a TDC pass rotation speed Ntdc, which represents the rotation speed of an engine when one of multiple cylinders of the engine passes over a top dead center TDC (step S110). The control technique estimates an engine stop crank angle CAs from a map that is experimentally or otherwise obtained to represent a variation in TDC pass rotation speed Ntdc against the stop position of the engine (step S120), and specifies a fuel injection cylinder that stops in a preset cycle range including part of a compression stroke at a stop of the engine (step S130). The specified fuel injection cylinder receives lean fuel injection at a specific fuel injection timing (step S170). When the specified fuel injection cylinder is later presumed not to pass over a top dead center TDC of the compression stroke, a corrected amount of fuel is injected into the specified fuel injection cylinder (step S240).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tabata, Makoto Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7574989
    Abstract: When a crank angle CAa of a specific cylinder, which was expected to stop in a fuel injection stop range over an intake stroke to a compression stroke at a full stop of an engine and received fuel injection, actually exceeds the fuel injection stop range and reaches a preset reference angle CA4, engine stop-state ignition control of the invention ignites the air-fuel mixture in the specific cylinder receiving the fuel injection at a moment of reaching the preset reference angle CA4 (step S260) and simultaneously injects the fuel into a certain cylinder that is in the intake stroke at the moment of the ignition (step S270).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Mitsuhiro Tabata
  • Patent number: 7562650
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a start-up control apparatus for an internal combustion engine that can further improve the start-up characteristics of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 21, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tabata, Kenji Kataoka, Makoto Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7512474
    Abstract: When a driver returns a brake pedal on a climbing road, brakes of front wheels to which power is output from an engine with brakes of rear wheels being held are released (S140), and a throttle opening TH is gradually increased so that a rotation speed of the engine reaches a target rotation speed Ne* according to a road gradient ? (S180). When an outputtable torque Tem that can be output to the front wheels and the rear wheels becomes larger than a target torque Td* according to the road gradient ?, the brakes of the rear wheels are released (S240) to start a vehicle. This allows a smooth start of the vehicle on the climbing road. On the other hand, when a slip of the front wheels is determined before the outputtable torque Tem reaches the target torque Td*, the brakes of the front wheels are returned to the original state, climbing road start control is prohibited (S260 and S270), and a stopping state is held. This properly addresses the problem when the vehicle cannot smoothly start.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Mitsuhiro Tabata, Hiroshi Sato
  • Patent number: 7441541
    Abstract: Fuel injection is controlled to cause one of multiple cylinders to receive fuel injection and to stop in a predetermined range over an intake stroke to a compression stroke in an operation stop of the internal combustion engine. At the time of stopping the engine, fuel injection is allowed only while the observed rotation speed of the internal combustion engine is between a preset start rotation speed and a preset stop rotation speed, and at least one of the start rotation speed and the stop rotation speed are regulated based on a detected rotation stop position of a crankshaft in the operation stop of the internal combustion engine and a state of fuel injection in the cylinder stopping in the predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Makoto Nakamura, Mitsuhiro Tabata