Patents by Inventor Tomihisa Oda

Tomihisa Oda 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: 20090301059
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage, and a urea aqueous solution feed valve (17) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15). Based on the detections results of an NOX purification rate detecting means for detecting the NOX purification rate by the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15), a urea aqueous solution feed amount detecting means for detecting the amount of feed of the urea aqueous solution, and a urea aqueous solution concentration detecting means for detecting the concentration of the urea aqueous solution, abnormalities in the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15), urea aqueous solution feed system, and urea aqueous solution are judged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: December 10, 2009
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Takekazu Itoh, Yutaka Tanai
  • Publication number: 20090293465
    Abstract: Provided is a technology enabling a temperature of an exhaust gas purifying device to rise more surely by operating an electric heater for a catalyst attached with the electric heater more steadily without exerting an excessive load on a battery. Included are the battery and the electric heater operating upon being supplied with electric power from the battery and heating an occlusion-reduction type NOx catalyst, wherein it is predicted, from a point that a SOx occluded quantity into the occlusion-reduction type NOx catalyst is equal to or larger than S1, that a SOx poisoning recovery process will be executed in near future (S102), and a charging level of the battery is increased (S106) by raising a voltage of power generation of an alternator (S103).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2007
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kuniaki Niimi, Tomihisa Oda, Takanori Ueda, Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Publication number: 20090205323
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a technique for improving the efficiency of performance regeneration process that is executed on NOx storage reduction catalysts provided in a plurality of branch passages branching from the exhaust passage and reduce emissions of NOx from an internal combustion engine to the atmosphere. When the quantity of NOx discharged from an internal combustion engine and flowing into an exhaust pipe is smaller than a predetermined quantity, fuel serving as reducing agent is added through a fuel addition valve while torque change moderating process is executed (from T0 to T1 ). After that, a first flow rate control valve is closed to make the flow rate of the exhaust gas flowing in the first branch passage smaller than that in the second branch passage (from T1 to T3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2007
    Publication date: August 20, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Tsujimoto, Tomihisa Oda, Takanori Ueda, Kuniaki Niimi
  • Publication number: 20090178392
    Abstract: The problem is to regenerate the purification ability of an exhaust gas purification device more reliably or efficiently in an exhaust gas purification system that combines a plurality of branch passages branch off from an exhaust gas passage and exhaust gas purification devices. When the purification ability of an exhaust gas purification device is regenerated, in the branch passage where the exhaust gas purification device is provided whose purification ability is to be regenerated, the opening angle of an exhaust gas flow volume control valve is set to the minimum opening angle that can reliably transport a reducing agent that is added from a reducing agent addition section. While the opening angle is maintained, the reducing agent is added. After the addition of the reducing agent is complete, the opening angle of an exhaust gas flow volume control valve is closed completely.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2006
    Publication date: July 16, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kuniaki Niimi, Kenichi Tsujimoto, Tomihisa Oda, Shinya Hirota, Takanori Ueda
  • Publication number: 20090007546
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying system for an internal combustion engine includes a first exhaust passage (22a) and a second exhaust passage (22b) into which an exhaust passage (21) of the internal combustion engine is bifurcated. NOx storage reduction catalysts (23a, 23b) and particulate filters (24a, 24b) are provided in each of the exhaust passages (22a, 22b). Fuel is supplied from a fuel valve (32) when NOx is to be released from the NOx storage reduction catalysts (23a, 23b). At a timing when the supplied fuel attaches to the NOx storage reduction catalysts (23a, 23b), one of exhaust control valves, for example, a first exhaust control valve (26a) is temporarily closed so as to keep the air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas rich. When NOx is released from the NOx storage reduction catalysts (23a, 23b) next time, a second exhaust control valve (26b) is temporarily closed after the fuel is supplied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2006
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Ueda, Tomihisa Oda, Kuniaki Niimi, Kenichi Tsujimoto
  • Publication number: 20080120966
    Abstract: An exhaust passageway of the internal combustion engine is formed of a single exhaust pipe 5. A portion 11b configuring a passageway through which the exhaust gas passes and a portion 11c provided with a catalyst 11e heating up the exhaust gas by emitting heat upon being supplied with a reducing agent, are provided in parallel so as to share a section of the single exhaust pipe with each other on an upstream side 11 of an exhaust gas purifying device 10 in the exhaust pipe 5. In the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe 5, allocation of a quantity of the exhaust gas passing through the catalyst 11e and a quantity of the exhaust gas passing through the passageway 11b, is set changeable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2006
    Publication date: May 29, 2008
    Inventors: Kouseki Sugiyama, Tomihisa Oda
  • Publication number: 20080053075
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying apparatus for an internal combustion engine (1) comprises a casing (15) which forms apart of an exhaust passage (14) of the internal combustion engine and houses therein an occlusion-reduction type NOx catalyst (12, 13) and a reducing agent supply device (11) which supplies a reducing agent to an interior of the casing on an upstream side of the NOx catalyst. The reducing agent supply device injects the reducing agent in a flat form in a direction intersecting a center line (CL) of the NOx catalyst from a nozzle hole (11a) disposed in the casing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Publication date: March 6, 2008
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takanori Ueda, Tametoshi Mizuta, Takashi Karita, Tomihisa Oda, Kuniaki Niimi
  • Publication number: 20080006333
    Abstract: A multi-fuel system includes a high vapor pressure fuel tank and a low vapor pressure fuel tank. The high vapor pressure fuel tank contains a fuel a saturated vapor pressure of which is high so that the concentration of fuel vapor in a vapor space of the tank in the normal temperature range becomes higher than an upper-limit of an ignitable concentration of vapor. The low vapor pressure fuel tank contains a fuel a saturated vapor pressure of which is low so that the concentration of a fuel vapor in vapor space of the tank in the normal temperature range becomes lower than the upper-limit of an ignitable concentration of vapor. The vapor space in the high vapor pressure fuel tank communicates with the vapor space in the low vapor pressure fuel tank through a communication pipe, and the vapor space in the low vapor pressure fuel tank is connected to canister 15 through a vapor pipe and a check valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Publication date: January 10, 2008
    Applicants: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Randall D. Partridge, Kouseki Sugiyama, Tomihisa Oda, Keiji Yoeda, Yoshihiro Iwashita
  • Publication number: 20070245723
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, a first exhaust passage and second exhaust passage branched from an exhaust passage are provided. An NOx storing reduction catalyst and a particulate filter are arranged in each exhaust passage. For example, when NOx should be released from the NOx storing reduction catalyst in the first exhaust passage, fuel is added from a fuel addition valve in the state with exhaust gas allowed to flow into only the first exhaust passage, while when the added fuel sticks to the NOx storing reduction catalyst, the first exhaust control valve is temporarily closed and the exhaust gas is made a rich air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2006
    Publication date: October 25, 2007
    Inventors: Shinji Kamoshita, Shigeru Itabashi, Kuniaki Niimi, Tomihisa Oda, Shinya Hirota
  • Patent number: 7077105
    Abstract: A low-octane fuel and a high-octane fuel stored in a low-octane fuel tank (5) and a high-octane fuel tank (7), both having known octane numbers, are injected from fuel injection valves (13a, 13b) into an intake port (12) at a mixing proportion that achieves a standard octane number set in accordance with the engine operation state. If knocking occurs during a predetermined steady engine operation state, the knocking is detected by a knock sensor (10b) and, corresponding to the knocking, the ignition timing is retarded from a basic ignition timing. A deviation in octane number is determined from the amount of ignition timing retardation with reference to a map, and is then corrected by the intake air pressure. On the basis of the corrected deviation in octane number, a deviation in the mixing proportion of the high-octane fuel is determined with reference to a map.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomihisa Oda, Kuniaki Niimi
  • Publication number: 20060118085
    Abstract: A low-octane fuel and a high-octane fuel stored in a low-octane fuel tank (5) and a high-octane fuel tank (7), both having known octane numbers, are injected from fuel injection valves (13a, 13b) into an intake port (12) at a mixing proportion that achieves a standard octane number set in accordance with the engine operation state. If knocking occurs during a predetermined steady engine operation state, the knocking is detected by a knock sensor (10b) and, corresponding to the knocking, the ignition timing is retarded from a basic ignition timing. A deviation in octane number is determined from the amount of ignition timing retardation with reference to a map, and is then corrected by the intake air pressure. On the basis of the corrected deviation in octane number, a deviation in the mixing proportion of the high-octane fuel is determined with reference to a map.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 4, 2004
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomihisa Oda, Kuniaki Niimi
  • Patent number: 7013844
    Abstract: A fuel separation apparatus includes a fuel tank storing the material fuel fed to a separation membrane, a fuel tank storing a separated low-octane fuel, and a fuel tank storing a separated high-octane fuel. An electronic control unit of the separation apparatus calculates the flow rate (amount of formation) of the high-octane fuel flowing into the high-octane fuel tank based on a change in the liquid level in the tank and on the amount of fuel fed to an engine from the tank, and so judges that an abnormal condition is occurring due to the breakage of the separation membrane when the amount of forming the high-octane fuel is larger than a predetermined upper limit value and that an abnormal condition is occurring due to a drop in the function of the separation membrane when the amount of formation is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 21, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Publication number: 20060053778
    Abstract: A fuel adding valve (14), an HC adsorbing and oxidation catalyst (11), and a NOx storing catalyst (12) are successively arranged in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine toward the downstream side. When the NOx storing catalyst (12) should release NOx, particulate fuel is added from the fuel adding valve (14). This fuel is adsorbed once at the HC adsorbing and oxidation catalyst (11), then gradually evaporates to make the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the NOx storing catalyst (12) rich. Due to this, NOx is released from the NOx storing catalyst (12).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2004
    Publication date: March 16, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takamitsu Asanuma, Shinya Hirota, Tomihisa Oda
  • Patent number: 6959693
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a first fuel injector that injects a lower-octane fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and a second fuel injector that injects a higher-octane fuel into an intake passage of the engine. When the engine temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature during a start-up period of the internal combustion engine, fuel having the lower octane is injected via the first injector while prohibiting injection of the higher octane fuel via the second fuel injector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Patent number: 6951202
    Abstract: High octane fuel and low octane fuel are supplied into the combustion chamber of an engine from high-octane fuel tank and low octane fuel tank via a high octane fuel injector and a low octane fuel injector. During a knocking control, if the quantity of high and low octane fuels in the respective tanks has been unbalanced, the supply ratio between high octane fuel and low octane fuel is changed 1 to control a knocking occurring in the engine without changing the ignition timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Patent number: 6928361
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor vehicle is provided in which each of a plurality of output values of the vehicle varies depending upon a plurality of input control parameters for controlling the vehicle. The control apparatus changes the input control parameter or parameters so that each of the output values becomes substantially equal to a corresponding target output value. The control apparatus then determines adapted values of the input control parameters, based on values of the input control parameters obtained when each of the output values becomes substantially equal to the corresponding target output value or falls within a permissible adaptation range of the target output value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeki Nakayama, Toshio Suematsu, Takao Fukuma, Tomihisa Oda, Yasuo Harada, Akio Matsunaga, Tomoyuki Ono, Teruhiko Miyake, Yoshitsugu Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20050109319
    Abstract: A fuel injection system includes a first fuel injector that injects a lower-octane fuel into a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, and a second fuel injector that injects a higher-octane fuel into an intake passage of the engine. When the engine temperature is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature during a start-up period of the internal combustion engine, fuel having the lower octane is injected via the first injector while prohibiting injection of the higher octane fuel via the second fuel injector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Publication number: 20050109316
    Abstract: High octane fuel and low octane fuel are supplied into the combustion chamber of an engine from high-octane fuel tank and low octane fuel tank via a high octane fuel injector and a low octane fuel injector. During a knocking control, if the quantity of high and low octane fuels in the respective tanks has been unbalanced, the supply ratio between high octane fuel and low octane fuel is changed l to control a knocking occurring in the engine without changing the ignition timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Publication date: May 26, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Publication number: 20050103285
    Abstract: A fuel separation apparatus includes a fuel tank storing the material fuel fed to a separation membrane, a fuel tank storing a separated low-octane fuel, and a fuel tank storing a separated high-octane fuel. An electronic control unit of the separation apparatus calculates the flow rate (amount of formation) of the high-octane fuel flowing into the high-octane fuel tank based on a change in the liquid level in the tank and on the amount of fuel fed to an engine from the tank, and so judges that an abnormal condition is occurring due to the breakage of the separation membrane when the amount of forming the high-octane fuel is larger than a predetermined upper limit value and that an abnormal condition is occurring due to a drop in the function of the separation membrane when the amount of formation is smaller than a predetermined lower limit value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Publication date: May 19, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomihisa Oda
  • Publication number: 20040098190
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a motor vehicle is provided in which each of a plurality of output values of the vehicle varies depending upon a plurality of input control parameters for controlling the vehicle. The control apparatus changes the input control parameter or parameters so that each of the output values becomes substantially equal to a corresponding target output value. The control apparatus then determines adapted values of the input control parameters, based on values of the input control parameters obtained when each of the output values becomes substantially equal to the corresponding target output value or falls within a permissible adaptation range of the target output value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2003
    Publication date: May 20, 2004
    Inventors: Shigeki Nakayama, Toshio Suematsu, Takao Fukuma, Tomihisa Oda, Yasuo Harada, Akio Matsunaga, Tomoyuki Ono, Teruhiko Miyake, Yoshitsugu Suzuki