Patents Assigned to Aichi Steel Corporation
  • Patent number: 11339543
    Abstract: An installation system has a laser range finder set at a reference position to measure a distance to a target, an installation cart which performs operation for laying a magnetic marker in a road, and an arithmetic unit which identifies a position relation of a laying position where the magnetic marker is laid with respect to the reference position. When operation for laying the magnetic marker in a road is performed, by taking the installation cart during performing the operation of laying the magnetic marker in the road as a target, based on a distance to the installation cart measured by the laser range finder, the position relation of the laying position with respect to the reference position is identified by the arithmetic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2022
    Assignee: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama, Masayoshi Fujiya, Shin Takeuchi, Hideto Takeishi, Taizo Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11334087
    Abstract: In an installation method for laying magnetic markers (10) in a road for driving assist control on a vehicle side, a laying work vehicle (2) sequentially lays the magnetic markers (10) while moving along the road without performing a prior survey or the like of laying positions, and then by using a positioning work vehicle (3) including a magnetic sensor capable of detecting magnetism, the laid magnetic markers (10) are detected and the laying positions are identified to generate position data regarding the magnetic markers (10), thereby allowing reduction of cost of laying the magnetic markers (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20220120710
    Abstract: A diagnostic vehicle (1) which diagnoses operation situations of magnetic markers (10) laid in or on a traveling road so as to be magnetically detectable by a vehicle includes sensor unit (11) which obtains a one-dimensional magnetic distribution by measuring a magnitude of magnetism with which any of magnetic markers (10) acts therearound, line sensor camera (13) which obtains a marker image, which is one-dimensional image information, by imaging magnetic marker (10), and diagnosing unit (15) which determines the presence or absence of a flaw in magnetic marker (10) based on a comparison between a magnetic distribution and the marker image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2020
    Publication date: April 21, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11308811
    Abstract: A marker detection method in which a magnetic detection unit (11) of a vehicle side that includes a plurality of magnetic sensors arranged in a vehicle width direction is used to detect magnetic markers (10) that are laid in a road, the method executes detection of a center position in the vehicle width direction of a magnetic distribution that acts on the magnetic detection unit (11) and processing of an index representing a degree of a positional change of the center position when a vehicle (5) passes over the magnetic markers (10) to determine a possibility of the presence of magnetic generation sources that causes disturbance, thereby suppressing erroneous detection of the magnetic markers (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11294090
    Abstract: In a marker detection method for detecting magnetic markers (10) laid in a road by sensor units (11) attached to a vehicle (5), in a marker detection system (1) including two sensor units (11) arranged so as to be separated in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle (5) and two magnetic markers (10) arranged at spacings equal thereto so as to be simultaneously detectable by the two sensor units (11), magnetism generation sources simultaneously detected by the two sensor units (11) are detected as the magnetic markers (10), thereby reducing erroneous detection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11287263
    Abstract: A position capturing system (1) includes a vehicle (5) provided with a measuring unit (2) which magnetically detects a magnetic marker (10) laid in a road and determines a polarity thereof and a GPS unit (35) which measures a position; a database (34) having stored therein a laying position of each of magnetic markers (10) linked with polarity information of the magnetic marker (10); and a position capturing unit (32) which executes processes for capturing the position of the vehicle (5) by selecting corresponding laying position from the database (34) when any of the magnetic markers (10) is detected; and when any of the magnetic markers (10) is detected, selects the laying position located in a specified area with reference to a measured position by the GPS unit (35) and linked with polarity information which complies with the polarity of the detected magnetic marker (10).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11280053
    Abstract: A magnetic marker to be laid in or on a road to achieve driving support control such as lane departure warning for warning departure of a vehicle from a lane and so forth, is a magnetic marker in which an RFID tag having an antenna for transmitting or receiving electric waves for wireless communication is retained in a magnet forming a magnetism generation source. The magnetic marker further includes a protective cover which prevents proximity of water to the antenna of the RFID tag and isolates the antenna from water. Thus, more information can be stably provided to a vehicle side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20220074028
    Abstract: A forged component having a chemical composition including, by mass %, C: 0.30 to 0.45%, Si: 0.05 to 0.35%, Mn: 0.50 to 0.90%, P: 0.030% or less, S: 0.040 to 0.070%, Cr: 0.01 to 0.50%, Al: 0.001 to 0.050%, V: 0.25 to 0.35%, Ca: 0 to 0.0100%, N: 0.0150% or less, and the balance being Fe and unavoidable impurities, and satisfying Formulae 1 through 3. The: metal structure is a ferrite pearlite structure, and a ferrite area ratio is 30% or more; Vickers hardness is in the range of 320 to 380 HV; 0.2% yield strength is 800 MPa or more; a Charpy V-notch impact value is in the range of 15 to 25 J/cm2: and an unevenness of fracture surface (surface area/cross sectional area) of the Charpy test piece after fracture is in the range of 1.47 to 1.60.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2020
    Publication date: March 10, 2022
    Applicant: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michinori FUKUYAMA, Takeyuki UENISHI
  • Patent number: 11242659
    Abstract: Installation cart for laying a magnetic marker in a road to achieve driving assist control on a vehicle side has boring drill at each of front and rear of vehicle body, the boring drill boring accommodation hole as a laying position for the magnetic marker in road surface, is capable of boring accommodation holes at two locations with a predetermined space without moving in a state of being parked at any position, and is capable of performing efficient laying operation without requiring, for example, positioning of installation cart for enhancing accuracy of a space between these accommodation holes at two locations forming the laying positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama, Masayoshi Fujiya, Shin Takeuchi, Hideto Takeishi, Taizo Nishiyama
  • Patent number: 11244129
    Abstract: A vehicular system (1) detects a magnetic marker (10) laid in a road and wirelessly communicates with a wireless tag (15) attached to the magnetic marker (10). The system includes a measuring unit (2) which detects the magnetic marker (10) by sensing magnetism, a tag reader (34) which executes a communication process with the wireless tag (15), and a control unit (32) which sets a communication start point as a start point of the communication process by the tag reader (34). The control unit (32) sets, as a communication start point, a time after a lapse of specified time with reference to a time point of detection at which the measuring unit (2) detects the magnetic marker (10). Upon reading information from the wireless tag (15), the tag reader (34) terminates communication, thereby shortening a communication time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventor: Michiharu Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 11238328
    Abstract: In a columnar-shaped magnetic marker including a magnet formed by dispersing a magnetic powder of iron oxide in a polymer material and to be laid in a road without being accommodated in a metal container, one end face of an outer peripheral surface and an entire outer peripheral side surface of magnet are covered with metal foil forming a conductive layer, and an RFID tag which performs wireless communication with a tag reader mounted on a vehicle side is arranged on the end face of magnetic marker provided with metal foil as being in a state of being electrically insulated from metal foil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama, Koei Gemba
  • Patent number: 11236476
    Abstract: To install, in or on a road surface of a road, a magnetic marker having retained in its outer perimeter an RFID tag including an antenna for wireless communication, an arrangement step of accommodating the magnetic marker in an accommodation hole provided to be bored in the road surface and a formation step of providing the magnetic marker with a protecting part for isolating the antenna from water are performed. With these steps, even if the periphery of the magnetic marker is submerged in water after installation, high communication performance of the RFID tag can be kept.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11231721
    Abstract: In an operation method of marker system (1) in which laying position information indicating a position where a magnetic marker (10) is laid is provided to a vehicle (3) side for achieving control for assisting driving of the vehicle (3) by using the magnetic marker (10), since positional accuracy required when laying magnetic markers (10) can be relaxed, the laying position information of the magnetic marker (10) positioned on the vehicle (3) side which performs the control for assisting driving is used as correction information to correct the laying position information indicating the position where the magnetic marker (10) is laid, and laying cost of magnetic markers (10) can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Publication number: 20220011102
    Abstract: A point cloud data acquiring system (1) is a system which acquires, as moving, point cloud data which serves as base data for a three-dimensional map representing a traveling environment of a vehicle includes range finding part (31) which acquires point cloud data representing azimuths and distances to planimetric features configuring the traveling environment, marker detecting part (2) which detects marker (10) laid in or on a traveling road of the vehicle, and a data recording part which records point cloud data acquired by range finding part (31) as linking thereto marker reference information including positional information with reference to any marker (10).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2020
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Applicant: Aichi Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Michiharu YAMAMOTO, Hitoshi AOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11220201
    Abstract: A magnetic marker retaining method that includes placing a plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers on a surface of a band-shaped carrier sheet, the plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers being so as to be spaced in a longitudinal direction of the band-shaped carrier sheet; and retaining the plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers in a state of a roll body with the band-shaped carrier sheet rolled up in a roll shape, the band-shaped carrier sheet being rolled up such that each surface of the plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers directly contacts the other side of the surface of the band-shaped carrier sheet, on which the plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers are placed, and the plurality of sheet-shaped magnetic markers being to be laid on a road.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11175159
    Abstract: A learning system (1) for vehicles for learning a neutral point of a measurement sensor equipped in a vehicle by using a magnetic marker disposed in a traveling road includes a sensor unit (11) which detects the magnetic marker and measures a lateral shift amount of the vehicle with respect to the magnetic marker, a route information acquiring part which acquires route information indicating a shape of the traveling road, and a learning determination part which determines whether a learning condition as a condition for performing learning of the neutral point of the measurement sensor is satisfied, wherein a fluctuation range of a lateral shift amount measured by the sensor unit (11) when the vehicle is traveling a learning road as a traveling road in a constant shape is equal to or smaller than a predetermined threshold is set at least as the learning condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 16, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11165315
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for obtaining an interior permanent magnet-type inner rotor without thermal demagnetization due to shrink fitting to a rotating shaft includes: a shrink fitting step of heating a rotor core having slots and inserting a rotating shaft into a shaft hole to shrinkfit the rotor core; and a filling step of filling the rotor core slots in a residual heat state after the shrink fitting step with a flowable mixture of a binder resin heated to a flowable state and anisotropic magnet particles, in oriented magnetic fields This allows, in similar manufacturing steps, an inner rotor of which the magnetic poles are anisotropic bond magnets formed by solidifying the flowable mixture in the slots and a conventional inner rotor of which the magnetic poles are sintered magnets. This allows both the inner rotors concurrently and in parallel (mixed flow production) in an already existing IPM motor manufacturing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tadashi Fujimaki, Hiroshi Matsuoka, Yoji Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 11164217
    Abstract: A driving support system capable of collecting usage fees from a user using the system, and including an information acquiring part which acquires, from a vehicle side capable of acquiring marker identification information for identifying a detected magnetic marker, upload information including the marker identification information, a marker database having marker position data recorded therein as being linked to the marker identification information, an information providing part which provides the vehicle side with support information including the marker position data, a usage fee totalizing part which totalizes the usage fees to be charged to the vehicle side in accordance with a history of providing the support information, and a payment request part which transmits a withdrawal request to external server of a financial institution which manages an account from which the usage fees are withdrawn.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11157017
    Abstract: A vehicular system (1) includes a lateral shift amount measurement part that has a plurality of magnetic sensors that senses magnetism of magnetic markers (10) arrayed along a vehicle width direction and measures a lateral shift amount that is a positional deviation of a vehicle (5) in a vehicle width direction with respect to the magnetic markers (10) and a course estimation part that uses a difference between the lateral shift amounts with respect to two magnetic markers (10) disposed with a space provided therebetween in a road surface (100S) where the vehicle (5) travels and estimates a deviation of the vehicle (5) in a traveling direction with respect to a line segment direction connecting the positions of the two magnetic markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michiharu Yamamoto, Tomohiko Nagao, Hitoshi Aoyama
  • Patent number: 11149832
    Abstract: A differential hypoid gear, a pinion gear, and paired hypoid gears formed by a combination thereof are provided. The differential hypoid gear includes a ring-shaped main body and a tooth-forming surface, and has a chemical component composition including C: 0.15-0.30 mass %, Si: 0.55-1.00 mass %, Mn: 0.50-1.20 mass %, Cr: 0.50-1.50 mass %, Al: 0.020-0.080 mass %, B: 0.0005-0.0050 mass %, Ti: 0.01-0.08 mass %, N: 0.0020-0.0100 mass %, Mo: 0.25 mass % or less, and Nb: less than 0.10 mass %, the remainder being Fe and unavoidable impurities. The chemical component composition satisfies Formulae 1 and 2. The differential hypoid gear has a metallographic structure including mainly tempered martensite. A martensite ratio at an inside of a dedendum differs between an end portion of a tooth and a central portion of the tooth within a range of 15% or less. A core hardness of the dedendum at the central portion falls within 350-500 HV.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignees: AICHI STEEL CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takayoshi Sugiura, Yuta Iwamoto, Naoki Fukuda, Yasuhiro Fukuda, Masaaki Kondo