Patents by Inventor Tomohiro Nakano

Tomohiro Nakano 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: 20240102552
    Abstract: A continuously variable transmission includes: a first pulley and a second pulley each including a fixed pulley and a movable pulley; and an endless member wound around the first pulley and the second pulley, wherein the continuously variable transmission continuously changes a speed ratio by controlling a thrust of the movable pulley with a hydraulic pressure, the thrust of the movable pulley is made smaller as a rotation speed of the first pulley decreases, and when the rotation speed of the first pulley is lower than a predetermined rotation speed, the thrust of the movable pulley in a case where the speed ratio is on a Low side of the predetermined speed ratio is not made smaller than the thrust of the movable pulley in a case where the speed ratio is on a High side of the predetermined speed ratio.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2022
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Applicants: JATCO Ltd, NISSAN MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Shou OKUTANI, Masahiro KUSUDA, Tomohiro UTAGAWA, Hironori MIYAISHI, Seiichirou TAKAHASHI, Yusuke NAKANO, Hiromu SOYA, Jumpei HAYAKAWA, Makoto OGURI
  • Patent number: 11927165
    Abstract: The electronic control unit performs a retarding process of retarding the ignition timing when the fuel pressure decreases, and lowers the peak of the combustion pressure in the cylinder, thereby suppressing the inflow of the combustion gas to the injector. Further, the electronic control unit performs an increasing process of increasing the injection amount of the hydrogen gas together with the retarding process, thereby suppressing the torque decrease of the engine due to the retard of the ignition timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Yui, Tomohiro Nakano
  • Publication number: 20240011446
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine uses hydrogen as fuel. The internal combustion engine includes a coupling passage that connects a crankcase and a surge tank to each other. A controller executes a control of causing an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture to be lower when a target output of the internal combustion engine is relatively high than when the target output is relatively low. The controller executes a pressure reduction process of reducing a pressure in an intake passage when the target output is less than a specific value. The pressure reduction process is a process of reducing the pressure in the intake passage to be lower than that before the execution of the pressure reduction process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2023
    Publication date: January 11, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shogo TANAKA, Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20240003324
    Abstract: The electronic control unit performs a retarding process of retarding the ignition timing when the fuel pressure decreases, and lowers the peak of the combustion pressure in the cylinder, thereby suppressing the inflow of the combustion gas to the injector. Further, the electronic control unit performs an increasing process of increasing the injection amount of the hydrogen gas together with the retarding process, thereby suppressing the torque decrease of the engine due to the retard of the ignition timing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 20, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi YUI, Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230294663
    Abstract: A hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine including a cylinder and a spark plug, a motor, a clutch provided between the engine and the motor, and a control device configured to start combustion in the engine by supplying electric power to the spark plug while cranking the engine via the clutch using the motor when a start request for the engine is issued. The control device includes a measuring unit configured to measure a power supply time of the spark plug in cranking of the engine, a count unit configured to count a long-time power supply number which is the number of times the power supply time is equal to or greater than a predetermined first time, and a correction unit configured to correct a cranking torque necessary for cranking the engine and required for the motor such that the cranking torque increases as the long-time power supply number increases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2022
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Takehiro KOMATSU, Masahiro NOGUCHI, Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20230271602
    Abstract: A controller controls a hybrid electric vehicle. The hybrid electric vehicle includes an engine, a motor arranged in a power transmission path between the engine and a drive wheel, and a clutch arranged in the power transmission path between the engine and the motor. The controller idles the engine in accordance with a target engine rotation speed and operates the motor in accordance with a target motor rotation speed when the clutch is in a disengagement state. When the clutch is in the disengagement state and the engine is idling, the target motor rotation speed is less than the target engine rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2023
    Publication date: August 31, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohiro NAKANO, Shinichi ODA, Masanao IDOGAWA, Koji ICHIKAWA, Atsushi FUKUDA
  • Publication number: 20230265809
    Abstract: A vehicle controller includes processing circuitry configured to execute a counter updating process, first and second starting processes, and a resetting process. The resetting process includes resetting the crank counter when a crank counter has a value outside of a range corresponding to a tooth-missing portion in a case in which a magnitude of a difference obtained by subtracting a value of a pre-update crank counter from the value of the crank counter that was increased by receiving the pulse signal in the counter updating process is greater than a first threshold value corresponding to a specified angle. The resetting process further includes resetting the crank counter when the crank counter has a value within the range corresponding to the tooth-missing portion in a case in which the magnitude of the difference is greater than a second threshold value that is greater than the first threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2023
    Publication date: August 24, 2023
    Inventors: Masahiro KACHI, Takehiro KOMATSU, Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Patent number: 11479237
    Abstract: Upon a request for switching from a first travel mode of traveling with a clutch disengaged and operation of an engine stopped to a second travel mode of traveling with the clutch engaged and the engine operating, a controller for a hybrid vehicle restarts the engine in the following manner. That is, the controller restarts the engine in a first start mode of starting combustion in the engine with the clutch non-fully engaged when a rotation speed of a motor is greater than a determination value and restarts the engine in a second start mode of starting combustion in the engine with the clutch fully engaged when the rotation speed of the motor is less than or equal to the determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11384702
    Abstract: A variable combustion cylinder ratio control device includes a target ratio setting section and a pattern determining section. The pattern determining section determines a target deactivation interval as a subsequent deactivation interval when the difference between a current deactivation interval and the target deactivation interval is less than or equal to X cylinders, and determines, as the subsequent deactivation interval, an interval closer to the target deactivation interval than the current deactivation interval by X cylinders when the difference between the current deactivation interval and the target deactivation interval exceeds X cylinders. The value of X is a natural number and a variable value that varies in accordance with the operating state of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11198423
    Abstract: A controller for a hybrid vehicle restarts an engine in a start mode selected from multiple start modes. The multiple start modes include a first start mode of starting combustion in the engine when a clutch starts transmitting torque and a second start mode of starting combustion in the engine after the clutch starts transmitting torque. The controller is configured to, in a case in which the engine is restarted in the second start mode, measure a cranking start time from when engagement of the clutch is commanded to when transmission of the torque through the clutch is started, and only when measurement of the cranking start time has been completed after the vehicle is activated, restart the engine in the first start mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11149661
    Abstract: A variable combustion cylinder ratio control method variably controls a combustion cylinder ratio of an engine during an intermittent deactivation operation, in which cylinder deactivation is intermittently performed. The method includes, when setting N to an integer greater than or equal to 1, repeatedly performing a cylinder deactivation in a pattern in which combustion is consecutively performed in N cylinders in the order of cylinders entering a combustion stroke, and then a subsequent cylinder is deactivated. The method further includes changing the combustion cylinder ratio by changing the pattern such that the value of N is changed by one at a time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 11028798
    Abstract: A port injection valve injects fuel to an intake passage. In multiple injection processing, a demanded injection quantity of the fuel is divided into a synchronous injection quantity and a non-synchronous injection quantity in accordance with at least one of: the load, which is a physical quantity having a correlation with the amount of air to be filled; and the temperature of an internal-combustion engine. The fuel is injected through intake non-synchronous injection and intake synchronous injection in this order. In the intake synchronous injection, the fuel is injected synchronously with a valve-open period of an intake valve. In the intake non-synchronous injection, the fuel is injected at a timing more advanced than in the intake synchronous injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 8, 2021
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masanori Toya, Tomohiro Nakano, Akihiko Higuchi, Takayuki Omachi
  • Publication number: 20200347795
    Abstract: A port injection valve injects fuel to an intake passage. In multiple injection processing, a demanded injection quantity of the fuel is divided into a synchronous injection quantity and a non-synchronous injection quantity in accordance with at least one of: the load, which is a physical quantity having a correlation with the amount of air to be filled; and the temperature of an internal-combustion engine. The fuel is injected through intake non-synchronous injection and intake synchronous injection in this order. In the intake synchronous injection, the fuel is injected synchronously with a valve-open period of an intake valve. In the intake non-synchronous injection, the fuel is injected at a timing more advanced than in the intake synchronous injection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 23, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masanori TOYA, Tomohiro NAKANO, Akihiko HIGUCHI, Takayuki OMACHI
  • Patent number: 10808642
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device includes a valve closing detection unit (54) to detect a valve closing timing by using either of an electromotive force quantity detection mode and a timing detection mode, a selection unit (21) to select either of the electromotive force quantity detection mode and the timing detection mode for detecting the valve closing timing, and a correction unit (21) to calculate a correction coefficient for correcting a requested injection quantity so as to reduce the difference between an estimated injection quantity and the requested injection quantity, and the selection unit selects the electromotive force quantity detection mode regardless of the value of the requested injection quantity when the calculation of the correction coefficient is not completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satake, Eiji Murase, Tomohiro Nakano
  • Publication number: 20200298831
    Abstract: Upon a request for switching from a first travel mode of traveling with a clutch disengaged and operation of an engine stopped to a second travel mode of traveling with the clutch engaged and the engine operating, a controller for a hybrid vehicle restarts the engine in the following manner. That is, the controller restarts the engine in a first start mode of starting combustion in the engine with the clutch non-fully engaged when a rotation speed of a motor is greater than a determination value and restarts the engine in a second start mode of starting combustion in the engine with the clutch fully engaged when the rotation speed of the motor is less than or equal to the determination value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Publication number: 20200298817
    Abstract: A controller for a hybrid vehicle restarts an engine in a start mode selected from multiple start modes. The multiple start modes include a first start mode of starting combustion in the engine when a clutch starts transmitting torque and a second start mode of starting combustion in the engine after the clutch starts transmitting torque. The controller is configured to, in a case in which the engine is restarted in the second start mode, measure a cranking start time from when engagement of the clutch is commanded to when transmission of the torque through the clutch is started, and only when measurement of the cranking start time has been completed after the vehicle is activated, restart the engine in the first start mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Tomohiro NAKANO
  • Patent number: 10731584
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device has a conduction time calculation unit, a setting unit, a conduction control unit, a detection unit, an estimation unit, and a changing unit. The conduction time calculation unit calculates a conduction time of an electric actuator corresponding to a requested injection quantity during partial lift injection. The setting unit sets a command conduction time. The conduction control unit energizes an electric actuator on the basis of a command conduction time set by the setting unit. The detection unit detects a physical quantity having a correlation with an actual injection quantity during partial lift injection. The estimation unit estimates an actual injection quantity on the basis of a detection result of the detection unit. The changing unit changes a lower limit time on the basis of a deviation between an estimated actual injection quantity and a requested injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satake, Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 10711727
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device includes a conduction time calculation unit, a detection unit, an estimation unit, a correction unit, a sudden change determination unit, and a reflection speed setting unit. The detection unit detects a physical quantity having a correlation with an actual injection quantity during the partial lift injection. The estimation unit estimates the actual injection quantity on the basis of a detection result of the detection unit. The correction unit corrects the requested injection quantity by a correction quantity corresponding to a deviation between the actual injection quantity and the requested injection quantity. The sudden change determination unit determines whether or not the correction quantity is in a sudden change state on the basis of whether or not the correction quantity has changed from a previous value by a prescribed quantity or more. The reflection speed setting unit sets the reflection speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satake, Tomohiro Nakano
  • Patent number: 10697384
    Abstract: During a catalyst rapid warm-up at a time of a cold start of an engine, a fuel is injected by a required injection quantity through a multi-stage injection consisting of a fuel injection by a full lift injection during an intake stroke and a fuel injection by a partial lift injection during a compression stroke. In a case where a deterioration of a combustion state is confirmed, a correction for increasing the required injection quantity, which is to enrich an air-fuel ratio, is performed. At a time of the enriching quantity increase, a sum of injection quantities of the multi-stage injection is increased by the amount of the correction for increasing the required injection quantity without the injection quantity and an injection timing of the fuel injection by the partial lift injection being changed from a base time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiko Higuchi, Tomohiro Nakano, Eiji Murase
  • Patent number: 10683826
    Abstract: A fuel injection control device includes a valve closing detection unit to detect a valve closing timing by using either of an electromotive force quantity detection mode and an timing detection mode and a selection unit to select either of the electromotive force quantity detection mode and the timing detection mode for detecting the valve closing timing, and the selection unit: selects the timing detection mode when a requested injection quantity is larger than a prescribed reference injection quantity in partial lift injection; and selects the electromotive force quantity detection mode when the requested injection quantity is smaller than the reference injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuyuki Satake, Eiji Murase, Tomohiro Nakano