Patents by Inventor Shigemasa Hirooka

Shigemasa Hirooka 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: 20200131962
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus for an internal combustion engine according to the present disclosure obtains an electric resistance value of the electrically heated catalyst after the lapse of a predetermined period of time which is a period of time required for condensed water adhered to the electrically heated catalyst to finish evaporating from the start of energization of the electrically heated catalyst, and calculates a heat energy shortage amount which is an amount of heat energy insufficient for raising the temperature of the electrically heated catalyst to a predetermined temperature or above, based on a difference between the electric resistance value thus obtained and a predetermined reference resistance value. Then, the exhaust gas purification apparatus supplies to the electrically heated catalyst an amount of energy required to compensate for the heat energy shortage amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2019
    Publication date: April 30, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa HIROOKA
  • Publication number: 20190271253
    Abstract: Disclosed is an exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine applied to a hybrid vehicle that performs EV travel after system power is turned on. The exhaust purification system includes: an exhaust purification catalyst; a heating element configured to generate heat with reception of power to heat the exhaust purification catalyst; a battery configured to supply the power to a motor and the heating element; a sensing unit configured to sense riding of an occupant in the hybrid vehicle; and a controller configured to execute first control to control the supply of the power from the battery to the heating element so that the power of electric energy of a prescribed ratio among activation electric energy is supplied to the heating element when the riding of the occupant is sensed by the sensing unit and a storage amount of the battery is larger than a second storage amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2019
    Publication date: September 5, 2019
    Inventor: Shigemasa HIROOKA
  • Patent number: 10100691
    Abstract: In an EHC, a ratio of a heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to a heat capacity of the first catalyst body is made within a range of 0.67-1.5. A ratio of an amount of coat of an OSC material in the second catalyst body with respect to an amount of coat of an OSC material in the first catalyst body is made larger than the ratio of the heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to the heat capacity of the first catalyst body. A ratio of an amount of support of a noble metal in the second catalyst body with respect to an amount of support of a noble metal in the first catalyst body is made smaller than the ratio of the heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to the heat capacity of the first catalyst body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki Tsurumi, Hiroshi Tanaka, Shigemasa Hirooka, Shingo Korenaga
  • Patent number: 10072545
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine having an upstream side catalyst a downstream side catalyst, a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor provided between the upstream side catalyst and the downstream side catalyst, and a control device able to control an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the upstream side catalyst as air-fuel ratio control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Publication number: 20180163592
    Abstract: First processing and second processing are carried out, wherein in the first processing, the electric power to be supplied to the heat generation element is set to a first electric power in a first period of time such that a temperature inside the heat generation element falls within an allowable temperature range, and in the second processing, at least one of setting the electric power to be supplied to said heat generation element from said power supply to a second electric power smaller than said first electric power, and/or setting the electric power to be supplied to said heat generation element from said power supply to zero, is performed in a second period of time such that the temperature difference inside the heat generation element falls within an allowable temperature difference range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa HIROOKA
  • Publication number: 20170226910
    Abstract: In an EHC, a ratio of a heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to a heat capacity of the first catalyst body is made within a range of 0.67-1.5. A ratio of an amount of coat of an OSC material in the second catalyst body with respect to an amount of coat of an OSC material in the first catalyst body is made larger than the ratio of the heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to the heat capacity of the first catalyst body. A ratio of an amount of support of a noble metal in the second catalyst body with respect to an amount of support of a noble metal in the first catalyst body is made smaller than the ratio of the heat capacity of the second catalyst body with respect to the heat capacity of the first catalyst body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuki TSURUMI, Hiroshi TANAKA, Shigemasa HIROOKA, Shingo KORENAGA
  • Patent number: 9562486
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine in which an exhaust purification device is provided the control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust purification device when the temperature of a three-way catalyst belongs to a temperature range in which it is not less than an activation onset temperature and is less than an activation complete temperature. The control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a first air-fuel ratio which is lower than or equal to a theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a low-side temperature region, and controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a second air-fuel ratio which is higher than the theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a high-side temperature region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigemasa Hirooka, Takahiko Fujiwara
  • Publication number: 20170009624
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine comprises an upstream side catalyst, a downstream side catalyst, a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor provided between the upstream side catalyst and the downstream side catalyst, and a control device able to control an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the upstream side catalyst as air-fuel ratio control. In the air-fuel ratio control, the control device switches the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas to the lean air-fuel ratio when the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor becomes the rich judged air-fuel ratio or less and switches the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas to the rich air-fuel ratio when the oxygen storage amount of the upstream side catalyst becomes the switching reference storage amount or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2016
    Publication date: January 12, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa HIROOKA
  • Publication number: 20160115886
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine in which an exhaust purification device is provided the control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into an exhaust purification device when the temperature of a three-way catalyst belongs to a temperature range in which it is not less than an activation onset temperature and is less than an activation complete temperature. The control device controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a first air-fuel ratio which is lower than or equal to a theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a low-side temperature region, and controls the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification device to a second air-fuel ratio which is higher than the theoretical air-fuel ratio when the temperature of the three-way catalyst belongs to a high-side temperature region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2015
    Publication date: April 28, 2016
    Inventors: Shigemasa Hirooka, Takahiko Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 9175592
    Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present embodiment, the control device includes: cooling units arranged on a path where a coolant is circulated, and cooling an exhaust gas of an engine with the coolant flowing through the cooling units; an atmospheric pressure sensor detecting an atmosphere pressure; and ECUs deciding whether or not to perform an exhaust gas temperature control for suppressing a temperature of the exhaust gas based on whether or not a heat quantity is more than a decision value, and correcting the decision value to be lower as the atmosphere pressure is lower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Tsunooka, Shigemasa Hirooka, Shinichi Mitani, Akira Satou, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Publication number: 20150125352
    Abstract: An air purification apparatus for a vehicle, including a vehicle component provided at a location where air flows while the vehicle is moving, includes: an ozone decomposing body that contains MnO2 and activated carbon as components that decompose ozone, the ozone decomposing body including a first layer and a second layer, the first layer being provided on a surface of the vehicle component, the content of MnO2 being higher than that of activated carbon in the first layer, and the content of activated carbon being higher than that of MnO2 in the second layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2014
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa HIROOKA
  • Patent number: 8434452
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present embodiment, includes: cooling units 40L and 40R arranged on a path where a coolant is circulated, and cooling an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine with the coolant flowing through the cooling units 40L and 40R; and ECUs 7L and 7R estimating a heat quantity of the exhaust gas, and deciding whether or not to prohibit an idle reduction control in response to the estimated heat quantity of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Mitani, Shigemasa Hirooka, Takashi Tsunooka, Akira Satou, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Patent number: 8360739
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a negative pressure generating apparatus that includes an ejector that generates a negative pressure whose magnitude is larger than that of a negative pressure to be taken from an intake passage in an intake system for an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle; and state change means for making the ejector function or stop functioning. The control apparatus includes prohibition control means for prohibiting the state change means from making the ejector function, according to a temperature of intake air.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Publication number: 20120059566
    Abstract: In a control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present embodiment, the control device includes: cooling units arranged on a path where a coolant is circulated, and cooling an exhaust gas of an engine with the coolant flowing through the cooling units; an atmospheric pressure sensor detecting an atmosphere pressure; and ECUs deciding whether or not to perform an exhaust gas temperature control for suppressing a temperature of the exhaust gas based on whether or not a heat quantity is more than a decision value, and correcting the decision value to be lower as the atmosphere pressure is lower.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Tsunooka, Shigemasa Hirooka, Shinichi Mitani, Akira Satou, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Publication number: 20120035830
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine according to the present embodiment, includes: cooling units 40L and 40R arranged on a path where a coolant is circulated, and cooling an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine with the coolant flowing through the cooling units 40L and 40R; and ECUs 7L and 7R estimating a heat quantity of the exhaust gas, and deciding whether or not to prohibit an idle reduction control in response to the estimated heat quantity of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Mitani, Shigemasa Hirooka, Takashi Tsunooka, Akira Satou, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Publication number: 20120035829
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine according to an embodiment includes: cooling units arranged on a path where a coolant is circulated, and cooling an exhaust gas of the internal combustion engine with the coolant flowing through the cooling units; a pump circulating the coolant; and ECUs estimating a heat quantity of the exhaust gas and deciding whether or not to operate the pump after an ignition switch is detected to be OFF in response to the estimated heat quantity of the exhaust gas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2009
    Publication date: February 9, 2012
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinichi Mitani, Shigemasa Hirooka, Takashi Tsunooka, Akira Satou, Shigeyuki Urano
  • Patent number: 8099223
    Abstract: When a catalyst warm-up request for promoting warm-up of a catalyst is issued and no negative-pressure increase request for increasing a negative pressure downstream of a throttle valve is issued, a control system of an internal combustion engine controls the ignition timing to the timing (ϑ0+Δ ϑ1) obtained by correcting the normal ignition timing (ϑ0) to be retarded by a correction amount &Delta,?ϑ1, and controls the degree of opening of the throttle valve to a throttle opening (TAO+ΔTA1) that is larger than the normal throttle opening TAO by a correction amount ΔTA1. When the negative intake pressure must be increased for brake boosting when ignition is on the retard side, the throttle spending is reduced and the ignition is advanced gradually after some delay to avoid torque shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Patent number: 7848870
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a negative pressure generating apparatus, includes an ejector that generates a negative pressure whose magnitude is larger than that of a negative pressure to be taken from an intake passage in an intake system for an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle; a state change device that makes the ejector function or stop functioning; and a prohibition control device that prohibits the state change device from making the ejector function, when the vehicle is transiently decelerated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Patent number: 7694512
    Abstract: A NOx occlusion and reduction catalyst 7 is arranged in an exhaust path 2 of an engine 1 to purify NOx in the exhaust gas. An electronic control unit (ECU) 30 of the engine operates the engine in an operating mode in which the exhaust gas increases in temperature with the air-fuel ratio thereof kept rich each time a predetermined amount of SOx is occluded in the catalyst 7, and executes the SOx poisoning restoration process for releasing SOx from the catalyst 7. The ECU controls the engine air-fuel ratio in such a manner that the H2 concentration in the exhaust gas detected by the H2 sensor arranged in the exhaust path upstream of the catalyst 7 is in a predetermined range. As a result, an appropriate amount of hydrogen is supplied to the catalyst 7 during the SOx poisoning restoration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2010
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Katoh, Shigemasa Hirooka
  • Publication number: 20100047081
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a negative pressure generating apparatus that includes an ejector that generates a negative pressure whose magnitude is larger than that of a negative pressure to be taken from an intake passage in an intake system for an internal combustion engine provided in a vehicle; and state change means for making the ejector function or stop functioning. The control apparatus includes prohibition control means for prohibiting the state change means from making the ejector function, according to a temperature of intake air.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 24, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shigemasa Hirooka