Patents Assigned to JTEKT
  • Patent number: 11577777
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a microcomputer. The microcomputer is configured to calculate a torque command value that is a target value of a motor torque, set a restricting value that is an upper limit of an absolute value of the torque command value, restrict the absolute value of the torque command value to be equal to or less than the restricting value, control driving of a motor such that the motor torque follows the restricted torque command value, calculate a steering angle restricting value that decreases based on an increase of an absolute value of a rotation angle, and an absolute value of an angular velocity, when the absolute value of the rotation angle of the rotary shaft exceeds a steering angle threshold, and set the restricting value to be a value equal to or less than the steering angle restricting value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Nobuaki Kataoka, Takahiro Toko, Yukinobu Ezaki
  • Patent number: 11578766
    Abstract: A wet friction disc includes a lubrication groove and a plurality of lands defined by the lubrication groove. The lubrication groove has a plurality of circumferential groove portions that extends in a circumferential direction and has a predetermined groove width in a radial direction, and a plurality of intersecting groove portions that extends in directions intersecting the circumferential direction. At least some of the circumferential groove portions have an arc shape such that an end in the circumferential direction is located adjacent to one of the lands in the circumferential direction and that the groove width is entirely contained within a range in the radial direction spanned by that land.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiki Takeuchi, Hiroshi Takuno, Kazuaki Kamimura, Takeshi Nakamura, Takahiro Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 11572097
    Abstract: A steering controller includes processing circuitry configured to execute a first operation process that, when an angle command value is not input from outside of the processing circuitry, calculates a first torque command value corresponding to a steering-side operation amount and operating a drive circuit of an electric motor to adjust torque of the electric motor to the first torque command value. The processing circuitry is further configured to execute a second operation process that, when the angle command value is input from the outside of the processing circuitry, calculates a second torque command value corresponding to at least an angle-side operation amount of the steering-side operation amount and the angle-side operation amount and operating the drive circuit of the electric motor to adjust the torque of the electric motor to the second torque command value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, JTEKT EUROPE S.A.S.
    Inventors: Terutaka Tamaizumi, Tahar Slama, Pascal Moulaire, Pierre Larminy
  • Publication number: 20230030986
    Abstract: The connection device for connecting two electric units, including a case in which are arranged: an electric wire to be linked to the first unit and including a conductive core encircled by an insulating sheath and a conductive tab to be linked to the second unit and secured with the stripped end of the conductive core, all of which being immersed in a sealing material filling the case and bonded to the insulating sheath, the device including an intermediate envelope partially coating the insulating sheath, so that it is in contact with the sealing material only over a reduced portion, where the intermediate envelope is in sliding contact with the sealing material and/or the insulating sheath.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2020
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT EUROPE
    Inventor: Clément DALL'ACQUA
  • Publication number: 20230033288
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a base axial force calculator, a limiting axial force calculator, and a final axial force calculator. The limiting axial force calculator includes a steering angle holder, a reference angle calculator, a final difference calculator, and an axial force calculator. The steering angle holder is configured to hold a steering angle at the time of limiting a turning operation of the turning wheels when the turning operation is limited. The reference angle calculator is configured to calculate a reference angle. The final difference calculator is configured to calculate a final difference which is a final difference between the reference angle and the current steering angle. The axial force calculator is configured to calculate a limiting axial force based on a value of the final difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi MATSUDA, Isao NAMIKAWA, Koji ANRAKU, Tomoyuki IIDA, Masaharu YAMASHITA, Kenji SHIBATA
  • Patent number: 11565746
    Abstract: An actuator that applies force to a member associated with steering, and a control device that controls the actuator, have duplex configuration. First and second control devices compute the same controlled variable as first and second controlled variables, respectively. In a normal mode, the control device controls the actuator according to the first controlled variable. The first and second control devices send and receive respectively computed controlled variables to and from each other via communications. When a discrepancy arises between the first and second controlled variables, or an abnormality occurs in communications between the first and second control devices, the operating mode is switched from the normal mode to an independent mode. In the independent mode, the first and second control devices control the first and second actuators, according to the first and second controlled variables, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masaharu Yamashita, Atsushi Sato, Masataka Okuda, Yosuke Yamashita, Shintaro Takayama, Shunsuke Hiromasa, Toshiyuki Mikida, Shoji Kubota, Yuji Fujita, Kenichi Abe, Toshimitsu Sakai
  • Patent number: 11565743
    Abstract: A method for managing a power steering system assist motor, includes defining, over the functional length of the actuator member, at least one reduced assist area separate from a normal assist area by an end-of-travel virtual threshold, a step of assessing an instantaneous position and a direction of the movement of the actuator member on the functional length, a step of applying an input resistance set point value to the assist motor when the actuator member crosses the end-of-travel virtual threshold in such a way as to move from the normal assist area into the reduced assist area. After the step of applying an input resistance set point value, an output resistance set point value is applied when the actuator member is in the reduced assist area and the direction of the movement of the actuator member is directed from the reduced assist area towards the normal assist area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT EUROPE
    Inventors: Pascal Moulaire, Arnaud Thiery, Dimitri Barthes, Nicolas Baudouin
  • Patent number: 11566671
    Abstract: A constant-velocity universal joint including a generally cup-shaped outer joint member and an inner joint member that define first and second groove portions. A pinch angle by which a ball is pinched in the first groove portion is open toward an opening of the outer joint member. A pinch angle by which the ball is pinched in the second groove is open toward a bottom of the outer joint member. An absolute value of the pinch angle in a larger-pinch-angle groove portion that is one of the first and second groove portions, is larger than an absolute value of the pinch angle in a smaller-pinch-angle groove portion that is the other of the first and second groove portions in a reference state. A radial clearance in the smaller-pinch-angle groove portion is larger than a radial clearance in the larger-pinch-angle groove portion when torque is not transmitted in the reference state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Shinoda, Masahito Ikeo, Yoshinari Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230026250
    Abstract: A steering system is configured such that electric power is supplied to a steering actuator and a turning actuator from a first power supply when a power state of a vehicle is an on state and supply of the electric power from the first power supply is cut off when the power state is an off state. The steering system includes a rotation curbing unit configured to operate such that rotation of the steering wheel is curbed in at least a part of a first power-off period from when the power state becomes an off state until when the power state becomes the on state next, as an operating period, and a second power supply configured to supply, to the rotation curbing unit, the electric power required for operation of the rotation curbing unit in the operating period, the second power supply being different from the first power supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yuuta KAJISAWA, Yuji FUJITA, Kenichi ABE, Toshihiro TAKAHASHI, Toshiaki OYA, Yoshinobu SHIMIZU, Masahiko SAKAMAKI, Shintaro TAKAYAMA, Yosuke YAMASHITA, Masaharu YAMASHITA
  • Publication number: 20230026554
    Abstract: A steering control device includes a control unit configured to perform a calculation based on angle information and to control the operation of a turning section based on a turning control amount. The angle information is obtained by relating the turning control amount for operating the turning section to a steering angle that is an angle by which a steering wheel is steered. The control unit includes a speed increase ratio calculation unit configured to calculate a speed increase ratio based on state variables, and an angle information calculation unit configured to calculate the angle information by converting the steering angle using the speed increase ratio obtained by the speed increase ratio calculation unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 11, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi KODERA, Yusuke KAKIMOTO, Toru TAKASHIMA, Hidetsugu TOYAMA
  • Patent number: 11560965
    Abstract: A valve device includes a body, a solenoid valve, and a manual valve mounted to the body. The manual valve being configured to open and close the gas flow channel via a manual operation. The gas flow channel includes a first flow channel including the valve-side opening portion, and a second flow channel including the tank-side opening portion, and includes an intersection portion in which a first center axis that is a center axis of the first flow channel and a second center axis that is a center axis of the second flow channel intersect with each other. A center axis of the solenoid valve coincides with an extension line of the first center axis and a center axis of the manual valve coincides with an extension line of the second center axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Natsuki Iwamoto, Kazushi Numazaki, Tomohiro Ishihara
  • Patent number: 11560172
    Abstract: A motor control device drives a motor based on a vehicle signal including drive assist information and performs vehicle control. The motor control device includes: a first controller and a second controller that perform a calculation operation concerning drive control over the motor. A first microcomputer corresponds to a calculation portion of the first controller. A second microcomputer corresponds to a calculation portion of the second controller. The first microcomputer and the second microcomputer mutually transmit and receive operation results by inter-microcomputer communication, or the first microcomputer unilaterally transmits an operation result from the first microcomputer by the inter-microcomputer communication. The first microcomputer and the second microcomputer synchronize timings to start and end control by performing at least one of three types of arbitration processes including: an AND-start arbitration process; an OR-start arbitration process; and a forced arbitration process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Satoshi Sugiyama, Yoshihide Kuroda
  • Patent number: 11560170
    Abstract: An auxiliary power supply device includes an auxiliary power source and a booster circuit. The auxiliary power supply device is configured to be switched among a charging state, a holding state, and a discharging state. The auxiliary power source is configured to be switched between a serial connection mode and a parallel connection mode. The auxiliary power source is configured to perform boosting to supply power to the power supply target when the auxiliary power source is switched to the serial connection mode, and perform backup when the auxiliary power source is switched to the parallel connection mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toyoki Sugiyama, Satoshi Shinoda
  • Patent number: 11554807
    Abstract: A turning device includes a turning shaft having a first ball screw groove as one of a left screw and a right screw and a second ball screw groove as the other of the left screw and the right screw and turning wheels to be turned by moving in an axial direction, a first electric motor generating a first driving force, a second electric motor operating independently of the first electric motor and generating a second driving force, a first ball screw nut transmitting the first driving force generated by the first electric motor to the first ball screw groove, a second ball screw nut transmitting the second driving force generated by the second electric motor to the second ball screw groove, and a rotation regulating part regulating relative rotation of the turning shaft around an axis with respect to a housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshio Kondo, Fumio Kishida, Toshiaki Ogata, Keishi Nakamura, Hirohide Suzuki
  • Patent number: 11554805
    Abstract: An ECU independently controls power supply to two winding systems in a motor on a per-winding-system basis based on current command values each calculated for a corresponding winding system in accordance with a target assist torque. When a first winding system fails, the ECU transitions from a first state in which the ECU causes the winding groups of the two winding systems to produce the target assist torque to a second state in which the ECU causes the winding group of the other normal winding system to produce the target assist torque. If the current command value for the normal winding system is equal to or below a current threshold value that is set with reference to zero or a value close to zero when the failed winding system recovers to its normal state in the second state, the ECU transitions from the second state to the first state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Tomohiro Niwa, Satoru Mikamo, Masashi Fuji
  • Patent number: 11555534
    Abstract: A ball screw device includes a screw shaft that has a first helical groove on an outer circumference, a nut that has a second helical groove on an inner circumference, a plurality of balls, a stopper provided at an end portion of the second helical groove, and a spring body that is placed between an end portion ball closest to the stopper and the stopper. The spring body is configured of a plurality of coil springs arrayed along the first helical groove and the second helical groove. The coil springs that are adjacent each have a spring end portion of which rigidity is higher than rigidity of a spring middle portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gento Aramoto
  • Patent number: 11554070
    Abstract: A walking assist device includes: a pair of right and left handles that are movable back and forth with respect to a frame in accordance with arm swing performed during walk of a user; rails on which the handles are provided and which limit movement of the handles in a movable range in accordance with arm swing performed during the walk of the user; a handle information acquisition unit that acquires information related to movement of the handles; and a control unit that controls a drive unit in accordance with the information from the handle information acquisition unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Fumitaka Achiwa, Yoshiyuki Shibata, Kouji Nagumo, Kimihiro Onishi, Tomomi Nishida
  • Publication number: 20230009686
    Abstract: A method controls a power steering motor of a power steering system. The power steering system includes at least one steering wheel configured to receive a steering torque applied by a driver, the power steering motor being configured to apply a motor torque to a rack, at least one wheel connected to the rack, and at least one steering computer implementing a main control algorithm. The main control algorithm includes a step of determining a main engine torque according to at least the steering wheel torque, characterised in that the steering computer also includes an algorithm for compensating for an oscillation of the steering wheel implementing a step of determining a compensating engine torque such that the steering wheel torque is equal to a reference steering wheel torque.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2020
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT EUROPE
    Inventors: Hervé PELTIER, Christophe GAUTHIER
  • Publication number: 20230008327
    Abstract: A method for determining a friction torque exerted within a steering column of an electric power steering system, the power steering system comprising a steering column provided with a torsion bar undergoing an instantaneous torsion torque, the steering column being linked to a pinion capable of driving a rack, a torsion bar sensor intended to measure the instantaneous torsion torque, the method comprising an acquisition step, during which at least one value of the friction torque is measured by the torsion bar sensor, the acquisition step being carried out following the reception of a trigger signal, the value of the trigger signal depending on values of conditional variables (VL, A, V, C, ?C, ?A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT EUROPE
    Inventors: Pierre LARMINY, Arnaud BOUCHET
  • Publication number: 20230011119
    Abstract: A steering control device controls, as a target, a steering device including a steering actuator and a turning actuator that has a structure with a power transmission path cut off from the steering actuator, and can reflect a state of an automated driving command. A control unit is configured to execute: turning-side synchronization control when the absolute value of a deviation amount is a value within a first range; steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation mount is a value within a second range that is a larger value than a value within the first range; and at least one of the turning-side synchronization control and the steering-side synchronization control when the absolute value of the deviation amount is a value within a third range that is a value between a value within the first range and a value within the second range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: JTEKT CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki UCHINO, Isao NAMIKAWA, Takashi KODERA, Kenji SHIBATA, Takafumi SATO