Patents by Inventor Takashi Nozawa

Takashi Nozawa 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: 10354902
    Abstract: A conveyance system includes a track, ceiling conveyance vehicles, storage apparatuses, and a conveyance controller configured or programmed to control operations of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and a local vehicle in accordance with an operation mode. The storage apparatus includes a storage plate and the local vehicle that transfer a FOUP between the storage plate and an apparatus port. The conveyance controller switches the operation mode among a first mode prohibiting transfer from the apparatus port to the storage plate by the local vehicle, a second mode prohibiting transfer to the storage plate by any of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and transfer from the storage plate to the apparatus port by the local vehicle, and a third mode that does not restrict transfer by the local vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2019
    Assignee: MURATA MACHINERY, LTD.
    Inventors: Osamu Honda, Keiji Yamada, Daisuke Ono, Takashi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20190181633
    Abstract: A power supply system for a vehicle includes a main power supply, an electric power converter including a capacitor, a relay, a sub power supply, a bidirectional converter, and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the sub power supply and the bidirectional converter to precharge the capacitor when a main switch of the vehicle is turned on, such that the sub power supply and the bidirectional converter to precharge the capacitor before the relay is closed to connect the electric power converter to the main power supply. When the temperature of the bidirectional converter is higher a specified temperature threshold and the main switch is turned off, the controller is configured to retain the relay in a closed state for a specified time and then open the relay to separate the electric power converter from the main power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 13, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20190135119
    Abstract: A power source system may include a main power source, a power converter including a capacitor, a relay configured to switch between connection and disconnection between the power converter and the main power source, an auxiliary power source, a boost converter having a low voltage terminal thereof connected to the auxiliary power source, and having a high voltage terminal thereof connected to the power converter without interposing the relay, and a controller configured to pre-charge the capacitor prior to placing the relay in a connected state. The controller may be configured to specify a relationship between a voltage and a current of the auxiliary power source based on data of chronological changes of the voltage and the current of the auxiliary power source, and control the boost converter based on the relationship such that a voltage of the auxiliary power source does not fall below a predetermined voltage threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20190135121
    Abstract: A power source system may include a main power source, a power converter including a capacitor, a relay configured to switch between connection and disconnection between the power converter and the main power source, an auxiliary power source, a boost converter having a low voltage terminal thereof connected to the auxiliary power source, and having a high voltage terminal thereof connected to the power converter without interposing the relay, and a controller configured to pre-charge the capacitor prior to placing the relay in a connected state. During the pre-charging of the capacitor, the controller may be configured to set an output current of the boost converter to a first current value while a specific auxiliary device connected to the auxiliary power source executes a specific process, and change the output current to a second current value larger than the first current value after the execution is completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20190135120
    Abstract: A power source system may include a main power source, a power converter including a capacitor, a relay configured to switch between connection and disconnection between the power converter and the main power source, an auxiliary power source, a boost converter having a low voltage terminal thereof connected to the auxiliary power source, and having a high voltage terminal thereof connected to the power converter without interposing the relay, and a controller configured to pre-charge the capacitor prior to placing the relay in a connected state when a main switch of a vehicle is turned on. The controller may be configured to store a peak value of a current of the auxiliary power source in a memory of the controller, and start to pre-charge the capacitor when a current of the auxiliary power source falls from the peak value by more than a predetermined current difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 10232735
    Abstract: A control device for a power supply system includes a pre-charge unit, the power supply system having a main electric storage device, a smooth capacitor, a step-up circuit, an open-close switch, a voltage source and a regulation element. The regulation element regulates a current flowing from the smooth capacitor toward the open-close switch. The voltage source is connected to a connection portion between the open-close switch and the step-up circuit, and outputs an output voltage higher than a voltage of the main electric storage device before the open-close switch is shifted from a disconnection state to a connection state. The pre-charge unit executes a pre-charge of the smooth capacitor by supplying electric power from the voltage source to the smooth capacitor before the open-close switch is shifted from the disconnection state to the connection state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignees: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaoru Koketsu, Yuichi Handa, Seiji Iyasu, Takashi Nozawa
  • Patent number: 10199945
    Abstract: A unit is equipped with a main battery, a pair of third wires that are connected to the main battery, a system main relay that is arranged on the third wires, a pair of fourth wires that is connected to the third wires between the system main relays and the main battery to the converter, a converter that is connected to the fourth wires, a case for accommodation, a main connector that connects the wire to a pair of first wires outside the case, and a sub-connector that connects the converter to a pair of second wires outside the case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Nozawa, Kenjiro Shiba
  • Patent number: 10195959
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a system main relay, a first voltage converter, a second voltage converter, a first diode disposed in a third power line and configured to prevent a reverse flow of a current from the first auxiliary machine to the auxiliary machine battery, and a second diode disposed in a second power line and configured to prevent a reverse flow of a current from the first auxiliary machine to the second voltage converter. Therefore, according to the vehicle, even when the auxiliary machine battery is short-circuited, the first diode can prevent a reverse flow of a current and the second voltage converter can continuously supply electric power to the first auxiliary machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takashi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20180358252
    Abstract: A conveyance system includes a track, ceiling conveyance vehicles, and a conveyance controller configured or programmed to output a conveyance instruction for a FOUP to the ceiling conveyance vehicles. When a first FOUP on a downstream port is waiting for collection the conveyance controller waits without outputting a conveyance instruction instructing collection of the first FOUP until any of the conveyance vehicles conveying a second FOUP to an upstream port has been recognized until a waiting time set in advance has elapsed since the first FOUP changed to the state waiting for collection and outputs the conveyance instruction instructing collection of the first FOUP when the waiting time has elapsed since a point in time when the first FOUP changed to the state waiting for collection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 13, 2018
    Inventors: Osamu HONDA, Keiji YAMADA, Takashi NOZAWA, Daisuke ONO
  • Publication number: 20180350646
    Abstract: A conveyance system includes a track, ceiling conveyance vehicles, storage apparatuses, and a conveyance controller configured or programmed to control operations of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and a local vehicle in accordance with an operation mode. The storage apparatus includes a storage plate and the local vehicle that transfer a FOUP between the storage plate and an apparatus port. The conveyance controller switches the operation mode among a first mode prohibiting transfer from the apparatus port to the storage plate by the local vehicle, a second mode prohibiting transfer to the storage plate by any of the ceiling conveyance vehicles and transfer from the storage plate to the apparatus port by the local vehicle, and a third mode that does not restrict transfer by the local vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: December 6, 2018
    Inventors: Osamu HONDA, Keiji YAMADA, Daisuke ONO, Takashi NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 9998056
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a main battery, an auxiliary battery, an inverter circuit, a high-voltage wiring, a smoothing capacitor, a main wiring, a subsidiary wiring, a DC-DC converter and a controller. The DC-DC converter is connected to a high-potential wire of the main wiring, a low-potential wire of the main wiring, a high-potential wire of the subsidiary wiring, a low-potential wire of the subsidiary wiring, the high-potential wire of the high-voltage wiring and the low-potential wire of the high-voltage wiring. The controller is connected to the auxiliary battery and the DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter is configured to supply a power stored in the smoothing capacitor to the controller through the DC-DC converter such that the controller drives the inverter circuit and that the power stored in the smoothing capacitor is supplied to the motor through the inverter circuit, when a collision of the vehicle is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20180126866
    Abstract: A vehicle includes a system main relay, a first voltage converter, a second voltage converter, a first diode disposed in a third power line and configured to prevent a reverse flow of a current from the first auxiliary machine to the auxiliary machine battery, and a second diode disposed in a second power line and configured to prevent a reverse flow of a current from the first auxiliary machine to the second voltage converter. Therefore, according to the vehicle, even when the auxiliary machine battery is short-circuited, the first diode can prevent a reverse flow of a current and the second voltage converter can continuously supply electric power to the first auxiliary machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2017
    Publication date: May 10, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 9873338
    Abstract: An electric vehicle disclosed in the specification includes a main battery, a main electric power supply wire connected with the main battery, an electric power control unit including a smoothing capacitor that smooths a voltage of the main electric power supply wire, a switch that switches the main electric power supply wire between conduction and non-conduction, a sub battery having a lower voltage than the main battery, a sub electric power supply wire connected with the sub battery, a first DC-DC converter that can perform a boost operation from the sub electric power supply wire to the main electric power supply wire on the electric power control unit side relative to the switch, and a second DC-DC converter that can perform a buck operation from the main electric power supply wire on the main battery side to the sub electric power supply wire.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi Nozawa
  • Publication number: 20180019680
    Abstract: A unit is equipped with a main battery, a pair of third wires that are connected to the main battery, a system main relay that is arranged on the third wires, a pair of fourth wires that is connected to the third wires between the system main relays and the main battery to the converter, a converter that is connected to the fourth wires, a case for accommodation, a main connector that connects the wire to a pair of first wires outside the case, and a sub-connector that connects the converter to a pair of second wires outside the case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi NOZAWA, Kenjiro SHIBA
  • Publication number: 20170373628
    Abstract: A power conversion device includes a main battery, an auxiliary battery, an inverter circuit, a high-voltage wiring, a smoothing capacitor, a main wiring, a subsidiary wiring, a DC-DC converter and a controller. The DC-DC converter is connected to a high-potential wire of the main wiring, a low-potential wire of the main wiring, a high-potential wire of the subsidiary wiring, a low-potential wire of the subsidiary wiring, the high-potential wire of the high-voltage wiring and the low-potential wire of the high-voltage wiring. The controller is connected to the auxiliary battery and the DC-DC converter. The DC-DC converter is configured to supply a power stored in the smoothing capacitor to the controller through the DC-DC converter such that the controller drives the inverter circuit and that the power stored in the smoothing capacitor is supplied to the motor through the inverter circuit, when a collision of the vehicle is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Patent number: 9710168
    Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that suppress occurrence of a bottleneck in the storage system, efficiently uses a bandwidth of hardware, and achieves high reliability. A storage system includes a storage apparatus that stores data, a controller that controls data input/output with respect to the storage apparatus, and an interface that couples the storage apparatus and the controller. The storage apparatus has a plurality of physical ports that are couples to the interface. The controller logically partitions a storage area of the storage apparatus into a plurality of storage areas and provides the plurality of storage areas, or allocates the plurality of physical ports to the logically partitioned storage areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Motonaga, Takashi Chikusa, Takashi Nozawa, Yuko Matsui, Megumi Hokazono
  • Publication number: 20170113567
    Abstract: A control device for a power supply system includes a pre-charge unit, the power supply system having a main electric storage device, a smooth capacitor, a step-up circuit, an open-close switch, a voltage source and a regulation element. The regulation element regulates a current flowing from the smooth capacitor toward the open-close switch. The voltage source is connected to a connection portion between the open-close switch and the step-up circuit, and outputs an output voltage higher than a voltage of the main electric storage device before the open-close switch is shifted from a disconnection state to a connection state. The pre-charge unit executes a pre-charge of the smooth capacitor by supplying electric power from the voltage source to the smooth capacitor before the open-close switch is shifted from the disconnection state to the connection state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2016
    Publication date: April 27, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kaoru KOKETSU, Yuichi HANDA, Seiji IYASU, Takashi NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20160144725
    Abstract: An electric vehicle disclosed in the specification includes a main battery, a main electric power supply wire connected with the main battery, an electric power control unit including a smoothing capacitor that smooths a voltage of the main electric power supply wire, a switch that switches the main electric power supply wire between conduction and non-conduction, a sub battery having a lower voltage than the main battery, a sub electric power supply wire connected with the sub battery, a first DC-DC converter that can perform a boost operation from the sub electric power supply wire to the main electric power supply wire on the electric power control unit side relative to the switch, and a second DC-DC converter that can perform a buck operation from the main electric power supply wire on the main battery side to the sub electric power supply wire.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Takashi NOZAWA
  • Publication number: 20160098196
    Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that suppress occurrence of a bottleneck in the storage system, efficiently uses a bandwidth of hardware, and achieves high reliability. A storage system includes a storage apparatus that stores data, a controller that controls data input/output with respect to the storage apparatus, and an interface that couples the storage apparatus and the controller. The storage apparatus has a plurality of physical ports that are couples to the interface. The controller logically partitions a storage area of the storage apparatus into a plurality of storage areas and provides the plurality of storage areas, or allocates the plurality of physical ports to the logically partitioned storage areas.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Publication date: April 7, 2016
    Inventors: Mamoru MOTONAGA, Takashi CHIKUSA, Takashi NOZAWA, Yuko MATSUI, Megumi HOKAZONO
  • Patent number: 9223508
    Abstract: Disclosed is a storage system that suppress occurrence of a bottleneck in the storage system, efficiently uses a bandwidth of hardware, and achieves high reliability. A storage system includes a storage apparatus that stores data, a controller that controls data input/output with respect to the storage apparatus, and an interface that couples the storage apparatus and the controller. The storage apparatus has a plurality of physical ports that are couples to the interface. The controller logically partitions a storage area of the storage apparatus into a plurality of storage areas and provides the plurality of storage areas, or allocates the plurality of physical ports to the logically partitioned storage areas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Mamoru Motonaga, Takashi Chikusa, Takashi Nozawa, Yuko Matsui, Megumi Hokazono