Patents by Inventor Yutaka Tanai

Yutaka Tanai 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: 9683471
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control device including a selective reduction catalyst; urea water as reducing agent being added in the pipe upstream of the reduction catalyst depurate NOx through reduction; an oxidation catalyst arranged in the pipe upstream of an added position of the urea water, the oxidation catalyst physically adsorbing NOx in the exhaust gas at a temperature lower than a lower active limit temperature of the reduction catalyst and discharging the adsorbed NOx at a temperature higher than a lower active limit temperature of the oxidation catalyst; and a fuel injection device for adding fuel into the exhaust gas upstream of the oxidation catalyst is disclosed. The start of the fuel addition by the fuel injection device is refrained until exhaust temperature on an inlet side of the reduction catalyst is increased to a preset temperature comparable with the lower active limit temperature of the oxidation catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignees: HINO MOTORS, LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Yabe, Haruyuki Yokota, Takaharu Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Shinya Sato, Takahiko Hayashi, Shunsuke Toshioka, Satoshi Watanabe, Tomihisa Oda, Yutaka Tanai
  • Patent number: 8516808
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage, an aqueous urea solution is fed to the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) and the ammonia generated from the aqueous urea solution is made to be adsorbed at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15), and the adsorbed ammonia is used to selectively reduce NOX. At the time the engine is stopped, when the ammonia adsorption amount at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) is smaller than a predetermined target amount of adsorption, the urea necessary for making the ammonia adsorption amount at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) the target amount of adsorption is fed to the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) at the time the engine is stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taro Aoyama, Yutaka Tanai
  • Patent number: 8359830
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reducing catalyst is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Urea is fed in the NOX selective reducing catalyst, ammonia generated from this urea is adsorbed at the NOX selective reducing catalyst, and the NOX contained in the exhaust gas is selectively reduced mainly by the adsorbed ammonia. An NOX sensor able to detect NOX and ammonia contained in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage downstream of the NOX selective reducing catalyst. It is judged that the amount of adsorption of ammonia at the NOX selective reducing catalyst is saturated based on the detection value of the NOX sensor when the feed of fuel to the engine is stopped during the deceleration operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yutaka Tanai, Tomihisa Oda, Kazuhiro Itoh, Shunsuke Toshioka, Takekazu Itoh
  • Patent number: 8256211
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein when an aqueous urea solution should be fed from an aqueous urea solution feed valve (8), a feed pump (9) is operated forward and aqueous urea solution in an aqueous urea solution tank (4) is fed through an aqueous urea solution feed passage (10) into the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8). When ceasing the feed of aqueous urea solution from the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8), the feed pump (9) is operated in reverse whereby the ammonia gas generated in the aqueous urea solution tank (4) is drawn through a ammonia gas feed pipe (11) into the aqueous urea solution feed passage (10). Next, when the feed pump (9) is operated forward, the ammonia gas drawn into the aqueous urea solution feed path (10) is ejected from the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinya Asaura, Tomihisa Oda, Shunsuke Toshioka, Yutaka Tanai
  • Patent number: 8132402
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reduction catalyst is arranged in the engine exhaust passage, and a urea aqueous solution feed valve is arranged in the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOx selective reduction catalyst. Based on the detections results of an NOx purification rate detecting means for detecting the NOx purification rate by the NOx selective reduction catalyst, 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, urea aqueous solution feed system, and urea aqueous solution are judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Takekazu Itoh, Yutaka Tanai
  • Patent number: 8117834
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reduction catalyst is arranged in the engine exhaust passage and a urea aqueous solution stored in a urea aqueous solution tank is fed to the NOx selective reduction catalyst where the NOx is selectively reduced. Opening and closing of the urea aqueous solution refill port of the urea aqueous solution tank are detected and it is judged if the urea aqueous solution is refilled in the urea aqueous solution tank. When it is judged that the NOx purification rate has fallen to an allowable level or less at the time of engine operation right after the urea aqueous solution is refilled in the urea aqueous solution tank, it is judged that the refilled urea aqueous solution is abnormal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Takekazu Itoh, Yutaka Tanai, Satoshi Watanabe, Yoshitaka Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20110061370
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage, an aqueous urea solution is fed to the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) and the ammonia generated from the aqueous urea solution is made to be adsorbed at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15), and the adsorbed ammonia is used to selectively reduce NOX. At the time the engine is stopped, when the ammonia adsorption amount at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) is smaller than a predetermined target amount of adsorption, the urea necessary for making the ammonia adsorption amount at the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) the target amount of adsorption is fed to the NOX selective reduction catalyst (15) at the time the engine is stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 18, 2009
    Publication date: March 17, 2011
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Taro Aoyama, Yutaka Tanai
  • Publication number: 20100205940
    Abstract: In an exhaust emission control system of an internal combustion engine, a NOx selective reduction catalyst is disposed in an engine exhaust passage, and an aqueous solution of urea stored in an aqueous-urea tank is supplied to the NOx selective reduction catalyst so as to selectively reduce NOx. A NOx sensor is provided in the engine exhaust passage downstream of the NOx selective reduction catalyst for detecting the NOx conversion efficiency of the NOx selective reduction catalyst, and the concentration of aqueous urea in the aqueous-urea tank is estimated from the detected NOx conversion efficiency. The exhaust emission control system and method make it possible to detect the concentration of aqueous urea at reduced cost.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Yutaka Tanai, Shinya Asaura, Yoshitaka Nakamura
  • Publication number: 20100192547
    Abstract: The invention has an object of exerting favorable NOx reducing effects even at an exhaust temperature lower than in the prior art without trouble, e.g., at startup after long-term engine rest and is directed to an exhaust emission control device wherein a selective reduction catalyst 5 capable of selectively reacting NOx with ammonia even in the presence of oxygen is incorporated in an exhaust pipe 4, urea water 6 as reducing agent being added in the pipe 4 upstream of the reduction catalyst 5 to depurate NOx through reduction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 4, 2008
    Publication date: August 5, 2010
    Applicants: HINO MOTORS, LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahiko Yabe, Haruyuki Yokota, Takaharu Shimizu, Hiroyuki Ninomiya, Shinya Sato, Takahiko Hayashi, Shunsuke Toshioka, Satoshi Watanabe, Tomihisa Oda, Yutaka Tanai
  • Publication number: 20100115928
    Abstract: An internal combustion engine wherein when an aqueous urea solution should be fed from an aqueous urea solution feed valve (8), a feed pump (9) is operated forward and aqueous urea solution in an aqueous urea solution tank (4) is fed through an aqueous urea solution feed passage (10) into the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8). When ceasing the feed of aqueous urea solution from the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8), the feed pump (9) is operated in reverse whereby the ammonia gas generated in the aqueous urea solution tank (4) is drawn through a ammonia gas feed pipe (11) into the aqueous urea solution feed passage (10). Next, when the feed pump (9) is operated forward, the ammonia gas drawn into the aqueous urea solution feed path (10) is ejected from the aqueous urea solution feed valve (8).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 13, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya Asaura, Tomihisa Oda, Shunsuke Toshioka, Yutaka Tanai
  • Publication number: 20100058741
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage, and the amount of deposition of the HC deposited at the NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) is estimated. When the estimated HC deposition amount exceeds a predetermined allowable deposition amount, the NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) is raised in temperature to make the deposited HC desorb from the NOx selective reduction catalyst (15), and thereby the NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) from HC poisoning is restored.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2008
    Publication date: March 11, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Yutaka Tanai, Shinya Asaura
  • Publication number: 20100043405
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOX selective reducing catalyst is arranged in an engine exhaust passage. Urea is fed in the NOX selective reducing catalyst, ammonia generated from this urea is adsorbed at the NOX selective reducing catalyst, and the NOX contained in the exhaust gas is selectively reduced mainly by the adsorbed ammonia. An NOX sensor able to detect NOX and ammonia contained in the exhaust gas is arranged in the engine exhaust passage downstream of the NOX selective reducing catalyst. It is judged that the amount of adsorption of ammonia at the NOX selective reducing catalyst is saturated based on the detection value of the NOX sensor when the feed of fuel to the engine is stopped during the deceleration operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 19, 2008
    Publication date: February 25, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yutaka Tanai, Tomihisa Oda, Kazuhiro Itoh, Shunsuke Toshioka, Takekazu Itoh
  • Publication number: 20100037596
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reducing catalyst (15) is arranged in an engine exhaust passage and an oxidation catalyst (12) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage upstream of the NOx selective reducing catalyst (15). At the time of engine startup, HC is fed from a HC feed valve (28) to the oxidation catalyst (12), thereby raising the temperature of the NOx selective reducing catalyst(15) by the heat of the oxidation reaction of HC. At this time, the temperature of the NOx selective reducing catalyst (15) is raised to a HC desorption range where HC is desorbed from the NOx selective reducing catalyst (15).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Takekazu Itoh, Kazuhiro Itoh, Yutaka Tanai
  • Publication number: 20100037599
    Abstract: In an internal combustion engine, an NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) is arranged in the engine exhaust passage and a urea aqueous solution stored in a urea aqueous solution tank (20) is fed to the NOx selective reduction catalyst (15) where the NOx is selectively reduced. Opening and closing of the urea aqueous solution refill port (40) of the urea aqueous solution tank (20) are detected and it is judged if the urea aqueous solution is refilled in the urea aqueous solution tank (20). When it is judged that the NOx purification rate has fallen to an allowable level or less at the time of engine operation right after the urea aqueous solution is refilled in the urea aqueous solution tank (20), it is judged that the refilled urea aqueous solution is abnormal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2008
    Publication date: February 18, 2010
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunsuke Toshioka, Tomihisa Oda, Takekazu Itoh, Yutaka Tanai, Satoshi Watanabe, Yoshitaka Nakamura
  • 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