Patents by Inventor Yutaka Hotta
Yutaka Hotta 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: 20160133951Abstract: In order to improve a power density of a fuel cell and prevent a generation of a poor insulation, an insulator is provided, which is disposed between a current collector disposed in contact with one end of a stacked body having a plurality of stacked unit cells in stacking directions, and an end member disposed outside from the current collector in the stacking directions, and includes a plurality of insulator members, each having a sheet-like planar portion. The plurality of insulator members which are stacked onto each other by the planar portions thereof are disposed oppose to the current collector.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tateki Takayama, Makoto Takeyama
-
Publication number: 20160126563Abstract: In order to prevent a reduction in workability when inserting an insulator, the insulator is to be disposed between a stacked body having a cell stack including a plurality of stacked unit cells and an end member to be disposed outward from the cell stack in stacking directions of the plurality of unit cells, and a covering to be disposed so as to separate in a perpendicular direction to the stacking directions from a side face of the stacked body parallel to the stacking directions. In a state where an end portion of the end member in the perpendicular direction is closer to the covering than an end portion of the cell stack in the perpendicular direction, and the insulator is disposed between the stacked body and the covering, the insulator includes a planar portion for covering at least a part of the side face, and a protruded portion disposed in the planar portion and protruded toward one or more unit cells near the end member among the plurality of unit cells constituting the cell stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 27, 2015Publication date: May 5, 2016Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka HOTTA, Hiroaki NISHIUMI, Tateki TAKAYAMA
-
Patent number: 9282685Abstract: Flux concentration cores that encircle bus bars are arranged at different heights. When viewed from an extending direction (a Z-direction) of the bus bars, the first flux concentration core and the second flux concentration core that are adjacent to one another partially overlap each other, and the second flux concentration core and the third flux concentration core that are adjacent to each other partially overlap each other. Therefore, the flux concentration cores are able to be arranged around the bus bars even when the spaces between the bus bars are narrow.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2013Date of Patent: March 8, 2016Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Yusuke Seo, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 9254871Abstract: The present invention comprises side members (15), which are vehicular skeleton members of a hybrid vehicle (10); a front cross member (18) for connecting the two side members (15); spring supports (16) connected to the side members (15); an auxiliary battery arranged further towards the vehicle front relative to a PCU (13) and attached to the front cross member (18) via a support platform (23) and a securing piece (22); a radiator (17) attached to the front cross member (18); a motor case (12) and an engine (11) connected to the vehicular skeleton member via an engine mount; an axle (25) extending from the motor case (12); and a PCU (13) connected to the motor case (12) via a guide plate (19) and a linkage bolt. Thus, there is provided a vehicular instrument-mounting structure capable of inhibiting collision of a power control device or other vehicle-mounted instrument with another member, and inhibiting damage caused to the power control device or other vehicle-mounted instrument during a vehicle collision.Type: GrantFiled: February 13, 2012Date of Patent: February 9, 2016Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Koji Hotta, Kenshi Yamanaka, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 9210829Abstract: A PCU (20) comprises an anchoring pedestal (22) that is attached to the opening of a transaxle and that has been molded from resin so as to be formed integrally with a terminal block (21); a cooler (27) that is disposed on top of the anchoring pedestal (22) and that has a power module; a heat-conductive board stay (14) connected to the top of the cooler (27); and a control board (29) connected to the top of the board stay (14). This mounting structure is configured such that by disposing the board stay (14) near a cooling tube (17a) for introducing coolant cooled by a radiator and by attaching the stay to the cooler (27) via a heat-dissipating sheet (61a) for actively conducting heat from the control board, the control board (29) is cooled by the coolant before the coolant has absorbed heat.Type: GrantFiled: January 23, 2012Date of Patent: December 8, 2015Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Patent number: 9203103Abstract: A fuel cell has a plurality of constituent members that constitute the fuel cell. The constituent members have first positioning portions and a second positioning portion that is provided on an outer peripheral portion, which are used for positioning during stacking.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2007Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomokazu Hayashi, Yutaka Hotta, Junichi Shirahama
-
Patent number: 9172100Abstract: A fuel cell system to be mounted on an electric vehicle such as a hybrid vehicle or an electric vehicle. Cooling water is supplied from a cooling water inlet of a stack manifold, flows through a fuel cell stack, and returns to the stack manifold. A groove is formed on the rear surface side of the stack manifold, constituting, together with a terminal, a cooling water channel. The cooling water flows through the cooling water channel, and is discharged to the outside from a cooling water outlet. The cooling water channel is formed extending from the rear side to the front side of the vehicle, and warms an end plate. A pipe length of the cooling water channel to a radiator mounted in a front part of the vehicle is reduced.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2012Date of Patent: October 27, 2015Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Michitaro Itoga, Makoto Takeyama
-
Publication number: 20150251531Abstract: The overall outer shape of a vehicle drive device including an inverter device is reduced in size. An input member and a rotating electrical machine are arranged side by side on a first axis, and a differential gear unit is placed on a second axis. An inverter device is located so as to overlap the differential gear unit as viewed in a radial direction, and is located between a second reference line that extends perpendicularly to a first reference line passing through the first axis and the second axis and that passes through the first axis and a third reference line that extends perpendicularly to the first reference line and that passes the second axis, as viewed in an axial direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2013Publication date: September 10, 2015Inventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi, Hiromichi Agata, Kazuo Aoki, Tatsuya Kondo, Manabu Miyazawa
-
Publication number: 20150245534Abstract: Flux concentration cores that encircle bus bars are arranged at different heights. When viewed from an extending direction (a Z-direction) of the bus bars, the first flux concentration core and the second flux concentration core that are adjacent to one another partially overlap each other, and the second flux concentration core and the third flux concentration core that are adjacent to each other partially overlap each other. Therefore, the flux concentration cores are able to be arranged around the bus bars even when the spaces between the bus bars are narrow.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2013Publication date: August 27, 2015Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yusuke SEO, Yutaka HOTTA
-
Publication number: 20150111116Abstract: A fuel cell system according to the present invention comprises a fuel gas supply system that supplies a fuel gas from a fuel supply source to a fuel cell that includes a stack including a plurality of cells, and a fuel off-gas circulation system that resupplies fuel off-gas to the stack. The fuel off-gas circulation system includes: a mixed fuel gas flow path formed such that a mixed fuel gas containing the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas flows in a direction along an inner surface of a manifold installed in the stack; and a point of merger where the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas merge with each other to produce the mixed fuel gas, the point of merger being arranged on one surface side of the manifold. With such configuration, the heat exchange efficiency of the fuel off-gas and the fuel gas can be increased, and ice resulting from water in the fuel off-gas can be prevented from flowing into the fuel cell stack.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 26, 2013Publication date: April 23, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Michitaro Itoga
-
Patent number: 8875825Abstract: A power control unit that controls a rotary electric machine that drives a vehicle, and that is mounted onto a motor case in which the rotary electric machine is housed, includes a fixed base that is made of resin; a cooler that is arranged on the fixed base and that includes a power module; and a control substrate that is arranged on the cooler. The fixed base inhibits conduction of heat from the motor case to the power control unit.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 2012Date of Patent: November 4, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Ken Asakura, Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Patent number: 8829669Abstract: A semiconductor device configured to enable efficient cooling of an element and downsizing of the device. The semiconductor device including an element unit connected to a surface of a cooler. A support member that has a condenser housing chamber that houses the condenser. The condenser has two parallel planar surfaces that are parallel with each other. The condenser housing chamber has a parallel opposing surface that is arranged in parallel with the element unit arrangement surface and faces the element unit arrangement surface, and houses the condenser in a state where the two parallel planar surfaces are arranged in parallel with the parallel opposing surface. The support member is fixed to the cooler in a state where the parallel opposing surface presses the element unit toward the cooler.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2011Date of Patent: September 9, 2014Assignees: Aisin Aw Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Patent number: 8811050Abstract: A relay-connecting member (16) has relay terminals (32), each of which is fit-connected to an output electrode (28) and a male tab (30) of an output terminal (14). With this structure, by simply inserting the output electrode (28) and the male tab (30) of the output terminal (14) into the relay-connecting member (16), it is possible to easily electrically connect the output electrode (28) and the male tab (30) of the output terminal (14) through the relay terminal (32).Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2010Date of Patent: August 19, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd., Kohshin Electric Corp., Autonetworks Technologies, Ltd., Sumitomo Wiring Sytems, LtdInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Shiro Nishida, Yuki Higashimori
-
Publication number: 20140084719Abstract: A power control unit that controls a rotary electric machine that drives a vehicle, and that is mounted onto a motor case in which the rotary electric machine is housed, includes a fixed base that is made of resin; a cooler that is arranged on the fixed base and that includes a power module; and a control substrate that is arranged on the cooler. The fixed base inhibits conduction of heat from the motor case to the power control unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 8, 2012Publication date: March 27, 2014Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Ken Asakura, Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Patent number: 8643235Abstract: A drive device for a vehicle includes a motor generator generating drive force, and a power control unit provided integrally with the motor generator for controlling the motor generator. The includes a low-voltage circuit section to which a relatively low voltage is applied, a high-voltage circuit section which is located at a rear side of the vehicle relative to the low-voltage circuit section and to which a relatively high voltage is applied, and a cooling plate located between the low-voltage circuit section and the high-voltage circuit section in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle for cooling the high-voltage circuit section. With such configuration, the drive device for a vehicle allows the power control unit to be protected appropriately against an externally imposed shock.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 2008Date of Patent: February 4, 2014Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Omiya, Masaki Yoshino, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20130307330Abstract: A vehicle equipment mounting structure that arranges a motor case, in which a rotary electric machine that drives a vehicle is housed, in an engine compartment, and that includes a PCU that controls the rotary electric machine, and an auxiliary battery that supplies electric power to the PCU. This structure includes a fixing portion that fixes the PCU onto the motor case, and a connecting portion that connects the auxiliary battery to a side member that absorbs an impact load by being crushed in a crushing direction. The connecting portion has a displaceable member that is displaceable in the crushing direction. The auxiliary battery is arranged on a vehicle front side of the PCU such that the PCU and the auxiliary battery partially overlap in the crushing direction. The auxiliary battery is arranged so as to be able to move past the PCU in response to an impact load.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2012Publication date: November 21, 2013Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Hotta, Kenshi Yamanaka, Yutaka Hotta
-
Publication number: 20130301220Abstract: A PCU (20) comprises an anchoring pedestal (22) that is attached to the opening of a transaxle and that has been molded from resin so as to be formed integrally with a terminal block (21); a cooler (27) that is disposed on top of the anchoring pedestal (22) and that has a power module; a heat-conductive board stay (14) connected to the top of the cooler (27); and a control board (29) connected to the top of the board stay (14). This mounting structure is configured such that by disposing the board stay (14) near a cooling tube (17a) for introducing coolant cooled by a radiator and by attaching the stay to the cooler (27) via a heat-dissipating sheet (61a) for actively conducting heat from the control board, the control board (29) is cooled by the coolant before the coolant has absorbed heat.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 23, 2012Publication date: November 14, 2013Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Publication number: 20130277820Abstract: A semiconductor device configured to enable efficient cooling of an element and downsizing of the device. The semiconductor device including an element unit connected to a surface of a cooler. A support member that has a condenser housing chamber that houses the condenser. The condenser has two parallel planar surfaces that are parallel with each other. The condenser housing chamber has a parallel opposing surface that is arranged in parallel with the element unit arrangement surface and faces the element unit arrangement surface, and houses the condenser in a state where the two parallel planar surfaces are arranged in parallel with the parallel opposing surface. The support member is fixed to the cooler in a state where the parallel opposing surface presses the element unit toward the cooler.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 21, 2011Publication date: October 24, 2013Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Yutaka Hotta, Tatsuyuki Uechi
-
Publication number: 20130270862Abstract: The present invention comprises side members (15), which are vehicular skeleton members of a hybrid vehicle (10); a front cross member (18) for connecting the two side members (15); spring supports (16) connected to the side members (15); an auxiliary battery arranged further towards the vehicle front relative to a PCU (13) and attached to the front cross member (18) via a support platform (23) and a securing piece (22); a radiator (17) attached to the front cross member (18); a motor case (12) and an engine (11) connected to the vehicular skeleton member via an engine mount; an axle (25) extending from the motor case (12); and a PCU (13) connected to the motor case (12) via a guide plate (19) and a linkage bolt. Thus, there is provided a vehicular instrument-mounting structure capable of inhibiting collision of a power control device or other vehicle-mounted instrument with another member, and inhibiting damage caused to the power control device or other vehicle-mounted instrument during a vehicle collision.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2012Publication date: October 17, 2013Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Hotta, Kenshi Yamanaka, Yutaka Hotta
-
Patent number: 8518591Abstract: A terminal device for cell voltage measurement of a fuel cell having a plurality of cells includes a plurality of terminals, a support member and a fixing member. The plurality of terminals each includes a conductive columnar part, and are electrically connected to the cells by the columnar part of each of the terminals being in contact with a conductive terminal contact part of a different cell of the fuel cell. The support member supports the terminals so that center axes of the columnar parts of the terminals are parallel to each other, and so that the center axes are aligned in one row at fixed intervals. The fixing member supports the support member so as to be able to rotate around a specified rotation shaft that is parallel to the center axes, and is attached to the fuel cell.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2010Date of Patent: August 27, 2013Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Yutaka Hotta