Patents Assigned to Honda
  • HEAT EXCHANGER FOR VEHICULAR AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20110005719
    Abstract: A heater core is inclined at a predetermined angle such that an end thereof on the front side of a vehicle is positioned below the other end thereof. A supply conduit for supplying heated water and a discharge conduit for discharging the heated water having circulated through the heater core are connected to a side surface of the heater core. A baffle plate having a cross-shaped cross-section is disposed inside the heater core and extends along the direction in which the supply and discharge conduits are arranged. Heated water from the supply conduit is supplied into the heater core, flows from the end of the heater core along the upper side of the baffle plate, and thereafter turns round at the other end of the heater core. Then, the heated water flows along the lower side of the baffle plate and is discharged from the discharge conduit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicants: KEIHIN CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takahiro Seto, Tsunetoshi Kitamura, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • VEHICULAR AIR CONDITIONING APPARATUS
    Publication number: 20110005730
    Abstract: In a vehicular air conditioning apparatus, an evaporator is retained in an inclined position in a casing including air passages. Due to air blown upward through a first front passage and a first rear passage, which are separated from each other, moisture is generated at a lower portion of the evaporator. The moisture is discharged to first drain ports by a first guide panel and to a second drain port by a second guide panel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2009
    Publication date: January 13, 2011
    Applicants: KEIHIN CORPORATION, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Takesi Habasita, Junichi Kanemaru, Shinji Kakizaki
  • Vehicle quality analyzing system and plural data management method
    Patent number: 7869914
    Abstract: Image data (44) assigned to a specific language is included in a second data file (28) at a specific position. A first data file includes a position information data specifying the position of the image data. A processing unit obtains the image data assigned to the specific language based on the position information data in the first data file. An image is displayed on the screen based on the obtained image data (44). The language is set in the first data file for generation of the image. A change of the position information data in the first data file enables a facilitated change of language included in the display image data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Yoshio Suzuki
  • Thermoplastic elastomer composition for core-back system foam injection molding and foam injection molding method using the same
    Patent number: 7867416
    Abstract: The thermoplastic elastomer composition of the present invention comprises a thermoplastic elastomer which includes an ethylene•?-olefin copolymer and a crystalline polyethylene resin, wherein the crystalline polyethylene resin constitutes a three-dimensional network structure in a matrix formed by the ethylene•?-olefin copolymer, an organic or inorganic blowing agent and a nucleating agent, wherein the thermoplastic elastomer has a melt flow rate of 5 g/10 min or more at a temperature of 230° C. and a load of 10 kg, and a melt tension of 3.0 gf or more at a temperature of 210° C. and a pulling rate of 2 m/min. Also the foam injection molding method of the present invention is a method including injecting the above-mentioned composition into a cavity space of a metal mold and then expanding the cavity space to foam by opening the metal mold at a mold opening rate of 0.05 to 0.4 mm/sec.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., JSR Corporation
    Inventors: Tomokazu Abe, Katumasa Ieda, Akihiko Morikawa, Kentarou Kanae
  • Hydrogen tank filling station and method of filling hydrogen tank with hydrogen
    Patent number: 7866354
    Abstract: A hydrogen tank filling station includes a high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, a hydrogen supply nozzle for filling a hydrogen tank mounted on a vehicle with hydrogen from the high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, a hydrogen supply pipe, a holder stand for holding the hydrogen supply nozzle, a limit switch for detecting whether the hydrogen supply nozzle is held on the holder stand or not, a cooling system for cooling the hydrogen tank, and a valve controller for controlling a cooling operation performed by the cooling system on the hydrogen tank.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Izuru Kanoya, Mitsuya Hosoe
  • Fuel cell with triangular buffers for reactant gas and coolant
    Patent number: 7867666
    Abstract: An oxygen-containing gas flow field for supplying an oxygen-containing gas from an oxygen-containing gas supply passage to an oxygen-containing gas discharge passage is formed on a first metal plate. The oxygen-containing gas flow field includes oxygen-containing gas flow grooves as serpentine flow grooves having two turn regions T1, T2. The oxygen-containing gas flow grooves have substantially the same length. The oxygen-containing gas flow grooves are connected to an inlet buffer and an outlet buffer at opposite ends. The inlet buffer and the outlet buffer have a substantially triangular shape, and are substantially symmetrical with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Sugiura, Shuhei Goto, Kazuya Sasamoto, Narutoshi Sugita
  • Plating apparatus
    Patent number: 7867368
    Abstract: A plating apparatus has a tubular electrode (16) placed in a hollow section (12) of work (11). The tubular electrode (16) has a through-hole (16a) formed in the longitudinal direction. A circular tube-like gap (S1) in which a plating liquid (17) flows is formed between the tubular electrode placed in the hollow section and an inner peripheral wall (14) of the hollow section. The plating liquid flows spirally from the lower end of the gap to the upper end by action of a vortex producing flow path (29) communicating to the lower end of the gap. The plating liquid having reached the upper end circulates through the through-hole of the tubular electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Ogawa, Hajime Miyasaka
  • Vehicular power transmission system
    Patent number: 7866227
    Abstract: A transmission M of a vehicular power transmission system has a first shifting part and a second shifting part which shift a power of an internal combustion engine, a first shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shifting part, and a second shift clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the second shifting part. A start clutch transmitting and interrupting the power to the first shift clutch and the second shift clutch is constructed of a centrifugal clutch C having a clutch shoe. The resulting configuration provides a vehicular power transmission system which has excellent efficiency of power transmission and durability, as well as being capable of being manufactured at low cost, and being capable of relieving a start shock.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kinya Mizuno, Yasushi Fujimoto, Seiji Hamaoka
  • Metal V-belt
    Patent number: 7867121
    Abstract: A metal V-belt includes a plurality of metal elements supported by a metal ring. The metal ring includes front and rear main surfaces, a pair of left and right slots that receive the metal ring therein, the slots being defined between a saddle surface and an ear-part bottom surface. A protrusion is provided on one of the front and rear main surfaces, and a concavity is provided in the other of the front and rear main surfaces. A clearance defined between an outermost peripheral surface of the metal ring and the ear-part bottom surface of the metal element is set to a value that at an exit of a driven pulley, contact of the innermost peripheral surface of the metal ring with the saddle surface of the metal element, and contact of the protrusion of a succeeding metal element and the concavity of a preceding metal element is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toru Yagasaki, Hideaki Aoyama
  • Fuel cell system and method
    Patent number: 7867661
    Abstract: A fuel cell system and a method for scavenging it are provided. The fuel cell system includes a fuel cell, a fuel gas passage, an oxidant gas passage, a communicating passage, a communicating valve, a monitoring device, a valve controller, a scavenging device and a computing device. The monitoring device monitors a state transition of the fuel cell after a termination of power generation. The valve controller opens the communicating valve when a signal indicative of the state transition meets a predetermined criterion. The scavenging device includes a first scavenging device for the oxidant gas passage, and a second scavenging device for the fuel gas passage. The computing device computes an amount of the oxidant gas required for scavenging according to a system shut off time. The scavenging device conducts scavenging with the amount of the oxidant gas obtained by the computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jumpei Ogawa, Chihiro Wake, Koichiro Miyata
  • Machining center adaptor having a fluid-emitting orifice arrangement for cleaning work piece chucks
    Patent number: 7866641
    Abstract: An adaptor and its method of use for cleaning the work piece chuck clamping surfaces of a turning center (lathe). An adaptor of the present invention includes a number of orifices that are arranged and oriented to direct pressurized fluid (e.g., air and/or another fluid) against the clamping surfaces of the work pieces chucks when a work piece is not present. The pressurized fluid impinges on the work piece chuck clamping surfaces, thereby removing chips and/or other debris therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Jeff Switzer
  • Wet friction member
    Patent number: 7867596
    Abstract: A carbon fiber composite material (10) is provided which includes carbon fibers (11), a matrix (12) binding the carbon fibers (11) together, and pores (13), and a volume fraction of the carbon fibers (11) exclusive of the pores (13) is not less than 45% and up to 80%. The carbon fiber composite material (10) may preferably have a porous structure of which a porosity is not more than 20% and up to 70%. This carbon fiber composite material (10) has a high static friction coefficient (?S), and low ? ratio, and thus is suitable for a wet friction member (e.g., carbon disc 5) which is excellent in both of static friction performance and dynamic friction performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignees: Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Asahi Organic Chemicals Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kentaro Komori, Satoshi Yoshida, Atsushi Takahashi, Toshihiko Kaneiwa
  • Motor vehicle power management system
    Patent number: 7869916
    Abstract: A power management system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The power management system can track one or more usage parameters to insure that electrical accessories or resources do not fully drain a battery and leave enough battery life to conduct at least one cold start. In some cases, the power management system can track one or more of the following usage parameters: the amount of time of one or more hands free telephone systems are used, the number of attempts to contact a computer, and/or the amount of time used to conduct wireless communications with a computer that is physically separate from the motor vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Pilgrim, John Vilkinofsky, Nathaniel W. Diedrich, Andrew T. Goeppner, Ross C. Miller, Jason A. Dutter
  • Outboard motor intake port system
    Patent number: 7867047
    Abstract: An outboard motor intake port system includes an internal cover mounted, from the inside, on an engine cover to form an intake chamber between the internal cover and the engine cover. The internal cover is integrally provided with a bottom plate portion facing the inner face of an upper part of the engine cover, a front wall portion extending upward from a front edge of the bottom plate portion and connected to the inner face of the upper part of the engine cover, and a pair of tubular portions extending upward from the bottom plate portion. The pair of tubular portions are arranged side by side so water that has entered the intake chamber via an intake port passes through the tubular portions. A pair of drain holes for discharging water are formed in the engine cover and communicate with the left and right front parts of the intake chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Koji Sakamoto
  • Method for manufacturing junction semiconductor device
    Patent number: 7867836
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a junction semiconductor device having a drain region including a low-resistance layer of a first conductive type formed on one surface of a semiconductor crystal, a source region including a low-resistance layer of a first conductive type formed on the other surface of the semiconductor crystal, a gate region of a second conductive type formed on the periphery of the source region, a high-resistance layer of a first conductive type between the source region and the drain region, and a recombination-inhibiting semiconductor layer of a second conductive type provided in the vicinity of the surface of the semiconductor crystal between the gate region and the source region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken-ichi Nonaka, Hideki Hashimoto, Seiichi Yokoyama, Kensuke Iwanaga, Yoshimitsu Saito
  • System and method for vehicle defogging condition calculation and control
    Patent number: 7866169
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a vehicle HVAC system to automatically defog a windshield glass and to prevent fogging or condensation of the windshield glass. The ambient air temperature and vehicle speed are measured and used to determine a windshield glass temperature. The in-cabin air temperature and relative humidity are measured and used to determine a dewpoint. An dewpoint margin is calculated to compensate for sensor accuracy and fog predictability. A fog margin, which is based upon calculated windshield glass temperature and dewpoint, is calculated and used, in conjunction with the dewpoint margin, to control the HVAC system to anticipate potential fogging conditions and to scale the intensity of the HVAC system response based upon the severity of fogging conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Bradley C. Errington, Junichi Kanemaru
  • Snowblower drive assist systems and methods
    Patent number: 7866068
    Abstract: A snowblower can include a snowblower housing, an auger connected to the housing, at least one wheel attached to the housing, and a machine control component. The machine control component can be movable to selectively control the movement of the wheels relative to the housing between a first position and a second position. In particular, the machine control component can be movable to a disengaged position, in which the at least one wheel is positioned in the first position and the auger is raised above a ground surface. The machine control component can further be moved to an engaged position, in which the at least one wheel is positioned in the second position and the auger is operatively engaged with the ground surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Jason R. Van Buren, Jorgen K. Meister, Kevin D. King
  • Motor vehicle having a sunroof system with a contoured draintube
    Patent number: 7866739
    Abstract: A sunroof system for a motor vehicle is disclosed. The sunroof system includes a draintube for expelling fluid that enters the sunroof system from an exterior of the motor vehicle. A section of the draintube may have a one-piece configuration that includes a first portion and a second portion with different cross-sectional shapes. In some configurations, the second portion may have a lesser thickness than the first portion, and the second portion may be located within a pillar of the motor vehicle. In further configurations, the second portion may be located within a pillar of the motor vehicle and adjacent to an airbag component of the motor vehicle. In manufacturing the draintube, a portion of the tube may be heated and compressed to convert a circular cross-section to a non-circular cross-section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Steven R. Thiele
  • Brake device
    Patent number: 7866450
    Abstract: A brake disc guard is provided inside of a rim of a front wheel and mounted on a knuckle. A caliper is located in a cutout portion formed at a front portion of the brake disc guard. The caliper is supported through a caliper bracket to the knuckle. A large-diameter portion is formed at an upper front end portion of the brake disc guard. The large-diameter portion extends so as to cover the upper side of the caliper bracket and the caliper. A scraper is formed at the front end of the large-diameter portion so as to be bent radially outwardly. The spacing a between the rim and the scraper is set to be the smallest. The dirt deposited on the rim is scraped off by the scraper, so that the dirt separated from the rim is prevented from falling onto the caliper.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koshi Nakamura, Makoto Toda, Tetsuyoshi Kikuchi
  • Contactor failure detecting apparatus for fuel cell system
    Patent number: 7867662
    Abstract: A contactor electrically connects and disconnects a fuel cell from a load. When a failure-detecting mode for detecting a closing failure of a contactor is initiated, an opening command is transmitted to the contactor, and a DC/DC converter connected to a motor changes the load voltage. Then, the load voltage and a fuel cell voltage are compared with each other. If the contactor is in a normal open state, as a result of the opening command, the fuel cell voltage is constant, whereas the load voltage of the DC/DC converter decreases, thereby producing a voltage difference. A closing failure of the contactor is determined when it is detected that the fuel cell voltage is substantially equal to the load voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Ojima, Minoru Sasaki