Toyota Patents

Toyota Motor Corporation designs, manufactures, assembles and sells passenger cars, minivans and commercial vehicles under the Toyota and Lexus brands. The company also provides financial services products to customers and dealers seeking loans to purchase or leases of Toyota vehicles.

Toyota Patents by Type
  • Toyota Patents Granted: Toyota patents that have been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Toyota Patent Applications: Toyota patent applications that are pending before the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
  • Publication number: 20170352983
    Abstract: A connector assembly that includes a first connector and a second connector. The first connector has a spring member press-fitted into a housing thereof. The second connector has a groove in a housing thereof. At the time of mating, the spring member is inserted in the groove in a mating direction to be deformed elastically in a direction intersecting the mating direction. Then, with the spring member of the first connector elastically deformed in the groove of the second connector, looseness between the housing of the first connector and the housing of the second connector is prevented.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: Tyco Electronics Japan G.K., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yusuke Mito, Hiroshi Kobayashi
  • Publication number: 20170353597
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure include methods, systems, and vehicles for disabling a function of one or more mobile devices within a passenger cabin of a vehicle. A method of disabling a function of one or more mobile devices within a passenger cabin of a vehicle according to the present disclosure includes determining a number of occupants within the passenger cabin based on one or more occupant sensor output signals output by one or more occupant sensors. A disable message is sent to disable a function of the one or more mobile devices in the passenger cabin when the number of occupants present in the passenger cabin is determined to be one. A disable message is sent to disable a function of only the one or more mobile devices associated with a driver of the vehicle when the number of occupants present in the passenger cabin is determined to be greater than one.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 6, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Wolterman
  • Publication number: 20170348674
    Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust gas purifying catalyst that can achieve high purification performance while suppressing H2S emissions. The object is solved by an exhaust gas purifying catalyst in which the top layer of a catalyst coating layer comprises a ceria-zirconia composite oxide having a pyrochlore-type ordered array structure, in which the ceria-zirconia composite oxide contains at least one additional element selected from the group consisting of praseodymium, lanthanum, and yttrium at 0.5 to 5.0 mol % in relation to the total cation amount, and the molar ratio of (cerium+additional element):(zirconium) is within the range from 43:57 to 48:52.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, CATALER CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiromasa SUZUKI, Takeru YOSHIDA, Masahide MIURA, Yuki AOKI, Isao CHINZEI, Yoshinori SAITO, Daisuke OCHIAI, Mitsuyoshi OKADA, Toshitaka TANABE, Akihiko SUDA, Masanao SATO, Akiya CHIBA, Akira MORIKAWA, Hirotaka ORI
  • Publication number: 20170350338
    Abstract: The invention relates to a control device for an internal combustion engine that includes a turbocharger, and an actuator that changes a turbocharging pressure by regulating exhaust energy for use in drive of the turbocharger. When a target torque is increased during execution of a lean burn operation, the control device switches an operation mode of the internal combustion engine from the lean burn operation to a stoichiometric operation. When the operation mode switching is performed in a turbocharging state, the control device determines whether a target torque is within a range of a torque realizable under the lean air-fuel ratio. When the target torque is within the range, the control device operates the actuator so as to keep the turbocharging pressure at a magnitude equal to or larger than a magnitude at a time point at which the operation mode is switched.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigehiro SUGIHIRA, Naoto KATO, Satoshi YOSHIZAKI
  • Publication number: 20170349157
    Abstract: When an output limitation value of a battery is equal to or less than a threshold, an electronic control unit determines that basic torque is able to be output from a second motor to a drive shaft. Then, the electronic control unit sets a predetermined value as a target motoring rotation speed for ending motoring of an engine by a first motor. When the output limitation value is greater than the threshold, the electronic control unit determines that the basic torque is unable to be output from the second motor to the drive shaft at the time of starting the engine, and sets a value smaller than the predetermined value as the target motoring rotation speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, FUJITSU TEN LIMITED
    Inventors: Koji HOKOI, Koji YOSHIHARA, Kotaro INAOKA, Koji YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170350715
    Abstract: Route search systems, methods, and programs search for a recommended route using a cost value of a link or a node that constitutes a route. The systems, methods, and programs calculate the cost value of the link or the node on the basis of calculation material information that serves as a material for calculating the cost value, and specify a reliability degree of the calculated cost value of the link or the node on the basis of a number of pieces of the calculation material information used to calculate the cost value of the link or the node. The systems, methods, and programs correct the cost value of the link or the node, the reliability degree of which has been specified, on the basis of the specified reliability degree, and search for the recommended route using the corrected cost value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke TANIZAKI, Toyoji HIYOKAWA, Tatsuya KATO, Motohiro NAKAMURA, Kazunori WATANABE, Hiroyuki TASHIRO, Kei HIROO
  • Publication number: 20170352261
    Abstract: A center prescribes, to a subject vehicle, a collection condition for vehicle data through wireless communication. An instruction executing section reads in and executes an instruction described as the collection condition. A determination section determines whether environment information prescribed by the collection condition agrees with the vehicle environment of the subject vehicle. A communication section delivers, to the center, the vehicle data of a time at which the agreement is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Takuya HASEGAWA
  • Publication number: 20170350304
    Abstract: A cooling cavity is provided inside a piston of an internal combustion engine. Inlet/outlet holes of the cooling cavity are provided in a bottom surface of the piston. A first oil jet that sprays oil toward the inlet/outlet hole, a second oil jet that sprays oil toward a part different from the inlet/outlet hole are included. The first oil jet is caused to spray oil in preference to the second oil jet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 6, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akira YAMASHITA
  • Publication number: 20170352875
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide a secondary battery system that functions at high voltage. The present disclosure attains the object by providing a secondary battery system comprising: a fluoride ion battery including a cathode active material layer, an anode active material layer, and an electrolyte layer formed between the cathode active material layer and the anode active material layer; and a controlling portion that controls charging and discharging of the fluoride ion battery; wherein the cathode active material layer contains a cathode active material with a crystal phase that has a Perovskite layered structure and is represented by An+1BnO3n+1-?Fx (A comprises at least one of an alkali earth metal element and a rare earth element; B comprises at least one of Mn, Co, Ti, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, V, Ni, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Pd, W, Re, Bi, and Sb; “n” is 1 or 2; “?” satisfies 0???3.5; and “x” satisfies 0?x?5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KYOTO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hidenori MIKI, Zempachi OGUMI, Yoshiharu UCHIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20170350294
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control apparatus has an exhaust gas control element other than an SCR catalyst. A temperature increase treatment unit executes temperature increase treatment that increases temperature of exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust gas control apparatus so as to increase the temperature of the exhaust gas control element to a specified target temperature. In this case, when operation of the internal combustion engine is stopped while the temperature increase treatment unit is not executing the temperature increase treatment, addition of an additive to the SCR catalyst from an addition valve is executed after operation stop of the internal combustion engine. When operation of the internal combustion engine is stopped while the temperature increase treatment unit is executing the temperature increase treatment, addition of the additive to the SCR catalyst from the addition valve is not executed after operation stop of the internal combustion engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinya ASAURA, Masaaki SATO, Ryohei ONO
  • Publication number: 20170352906
    Abstract: An end plate includes a plate body, fastening portions, and ribs. The plate body is rectangular and includes two long sides and two short sides. The plate body is arranged on an end of a cell stack of a fuel cell. The fastening portions are fastened to a case containing the cell stack. The fastening portions extend along edges of the plate body. The ribs are arranged in a grid-like manner on the plate body surrounded by the fastening portions. The ribs are arranged so that recesses defined between the ribs each have a quadrilateral shape in which two diagonals have different lengths. The ribs are arranged so that the recesses extend in a direction in which the ribs extend and so that a longer one of the two diagonals of each of the recesses extends parallel to the short sides of the plate body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA BOSHOKU KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kunihiro YAMAURA
  • Publication number: 20170350408
    Abstract: A compressor housing for a turbocharger including a housing body having an inner circumferential recess recessively formed on an annular inner circumference surface thereof; an annular abradable seal disposed in the inner circumferential recess, an inner circumference surface of which forms a shroud surface; and a ring member formed in a ring shape along the inner circumferential recess and press-fitted into the inner circumferential recess. The inner circumferential recess includes a recess press-contact surface that is formed along a press-fitting direction of the ring member, and press-contacts a radial-direction outside surface of the ring member; and a recess opposing surface that opposes a press-fitting direction forward surface of the ring member. The abradable seal includes a flange that projects outwardly in a radial direction of the abradable seal. The flange is held between the press-fitting direction forward surface and the recess opposing surface to fix the abradable seal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: OTICS CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masahide SAKURAI, Koichi YONEZAWA
  • Publication number: 20170352923
    Abstract: A manufacturing method for an all-solid-state battery includes: producing a laminated battery having both end surfaces in a lamination direction and a side surface by laminating pluralities of collector layers, positive electrode mixture layers, solid electrolyte layers, and negative electrode mixture layers; supplying a liquid resin to only the side surface of the laminated battery; and curing the liquid resin. Producing the laminated battery by protruding at least one layer of the collector layer, the positive electrode mixture layer, the solid electrolyte layer, and the negative electrode mixture layer relative to remaining of the layers to form a protruding layer. Protruding a plurality of protruding layers from the side surface of the battery. Supplying the resin involves supplying the liquid resin to only the side surface of the laminated battery such that the liquid resin penetrates into a clearance between one protruding layer and another protruding layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihiro IWANO, Akira TSUJIKO, Fuhito KAMATA, Tomonori KAWAMURA, Mikio KAWAKAMI
  • Publication number: 20170350361
    Abstract: In a distribution flow path that allows engine coolant to circulate between an exhaust heat recovery unit and an engine, an upstream flow path on the upstream side of the engine and a downstream flow path on the downstream side of the engine are communicated with each other by means of a bypass flow path to thereby form a short flow path with a shorter flow path length than in a case where the engine coolant that has exited the exhaust heat recovery unit passes through the engine. A valve that can adjust the amount of the engine coolant flowing to the bypass flow path and a short flow path pump are disposed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Toshio MURATA
  • Publication number: 20170352270
    Abstract: An obstacle warning apparatus in a vehicle specifies a position of an obstacle relative to the vehicle based on a detection result by an obstacle sensor. A warning determination section determines whether a warning about the obstacle needs to be executed, based on the specified position of the obstacle. The warning determination section determines that the warning about the obstacle does not need to be executed when an overlap determination section determines that a vehicle range overlaps with a range where the obstacle exists.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 21, 2015
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: DENSO CORPORATION, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidenori Tanaka, Akihiro Kida
  • Publication number: 20170352887
    Abstract: An object of the present disclosure is to provide an anode layer for a fluoride ion battery in which decomposition of a binder is restrained. The present disclosure attains the object by providing an anode layer to be used for a fluoride ion battery, the anode layer comprising an anode active material and a non-fluorine-based binder having aromaticity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD., KYOTO UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hirofumi NAKAMOTO, Masao ICHIKAWA, Zempachi OGUMI, Takeshi ABE
  • Publication number: 20170350527
    Abstract: A solenoid valve includes: a cylindrical spool that has an annular groove in an outer surface and moves along an axial direction under a driving force generated by a current being applied to a solenoid part; a cylindrical sleeve that has a through-hole capable of communicating with the annular groove and houses the spool; and an urging member that urges the spool by an urging force acting in a direction opposite from a direction in which the driving force is generated. When no current is applied to the solenoid part, a part of the through-hole communicates with the annular groove. When a current is applied to the solenoid part, an area of communication between the through-hole and the annular groove increases as the spool moves under the driving force acting against the urging force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2017
    Publication date: December 7, 2017
    Applicants: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daisuke TOYAMA, Shinya Amano, Yoshikuni Sue, Hisashi Ono, Shingo Okazawa, Michitaka Yamamoto, Daisuke Okanishi, Noboru Takagi, Takayuki Hosogi
  • Patent number: 9837645
    Abstract: An onboard battery mounted in a front section of a space located behind a rearmost seat of an automobile includes: an assembly battery including electrode terminals arranged on a rear surface of the assembly battery in a vehicle frontward and rearward direction; and a battery case housing the assembly battery. A case rear-surface member forming a rear surface of the battery case is provided with a ridge portion that faces at least a part of a rear surface of the assembly battery in the vehicle frontward and rearward direction in a manner so as to avoid the electrode terminals, the ridge portion projecting toward the assembly battery. When the case rear-surface member moves toward the assembly battery, the ridge portion comes into contact with the assembly battery before the case rear-surface member applies force to the electrode terminals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Katayama, Koichi Nagamine, Naoki Fukusako
  • Patent number: 9837657
    Abstract: An assembled battery includes a plurality of battery cells, a bus bar that electrically connects the battery cells with each other, and a circuit board that is electrically connected with the battery cells. The bus bar has a first connection part that is electrically connected with the battery cells, and a second connection part that is electrically connected with a connection part of the circuit board via a conductive adhesive. The second connection part has a concave portion that contains the conductive adhesive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Okiga
  • Patent number: 9834089
    Abstract: A fuel tank structure includes: a fuel tank that is installed in an automobile and that accommodates fuel; a bag-shaped member that is fixed to a ceiling portion of an interior of the fuel tank, and whose state of contact with a liquid surface of fuel accommodated in the fuel tank is maintained due to the bag-shaped member inflating or deflating in accordance with a height of the liquid surface; a temperature sensor that senses a temperature of the fuel or evaporated fuel that is within the fuel tank; and a cooling wind introducing section that introduces cooling wind into an interior of the bag-shaped member in a case in which the temperature of the fuel or the evaporated fuel detected by the temperature sensor becomes higher than a predetermined temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shuichi Aso
  • Patent number: 9833888
    Abstract: An installation tool for a two-stage clip is described. The tool includes a base element and a plunger element. The base element can include a plunger installation cavity and a clip receiving cavity. At least a portion of the plunger element can be retainably engaged in base element. The plunger element can be movable within the base element between a retracted position and an extended position. In the extended position, a portion of the plunger element can extend into the clip receiving cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeffrey D. Lambert
  • Patent number: 9834201
    Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle including an engine, an electric motor coupled to a power transmission path between the engine and drive wheels, and a clutch connecting/disconnecting a power transmission path between the engine and both the electric motor and the drive wheels, the control device performing detection of air-fuel ratio variation between cylinders of the engine, the control device changing an operation state of the clutch based on a request drive force of the vehicle, and the control device performing the detection of air-fuel ratio variation when the clutch is in an open state or a slip amount of the clutch is equal to or larger than a preset value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshio Inoue
  • Patent number: 9835051
    Abstract: A gas passage that is connected to an exhaust passage and a water passage that is connected to a water jacket are formed in a turbine housing. The water passage and the gas passage are arranged adjacent to each other in an exhaust gas-introducing side joint part of the turbine housing, and a mating face in which the water passage opens and a mating face in which the gas passage opens are formed not to connect smoothly to each other. The turbine housing is attached to the cylinder head with an O-ring that prevents leakage of coolant interposed between the mating face and the cylinder head, and a seal member that prevents leakage of exhaust gas interposed between the mating face and the cylinder head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Norihiko Sumi
  • Patent number: 9836658
    Abstract: A parking assist system includes an electronic control unit configured to: set at least one candidate position that is a candidate for a target position of a moving path of a vehicle on the basis of at least one of a detection result of an obstacle and a detection result of a parking boundary; set an orientation of the vehicle at each of the at least one candidate position, as a candidate position vehicle orientation, on the basis of at least one of the detection result of the obstacle and the detection result of the parking boundary; rank each of the at least one candidate position on the basis of an orientation of the vehicle and the candidate position vehicle orientation; and determine one of the ranked at least one candidate position as the target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yusuke Kiyokawa, Tomohisa Yamashita, Motonari Obayashi, Hironobu Ishijima
  • Patent number: 9837728
    Abstract: A covered conductive wire is configured by covering a conductive wire with an insulating cover portion. The conductive wire is formed of an aluminum-based material, for example. A crimping portion includes a cover crimping portion for crimping the cover portion of the covered conductive wire, and a conductor crimping portion for crimping a portion of the conductive wire that is exposed when the cover portion is removed at the tip portion of the covered conductive wire. It is possible to use polyvinyl chloride and/or a non-halogen member, for example, for the cover portion of the covered conductive wire, and a plasticizer, filler, stabilizer, or the like is compounded as needed. A material that shrinks by a factor of 7% or less after being allowed to stand for 120 hours at a high temperature of 120° C. is used for this cover portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: FURUKAWA ELECTRIC CO., LTD., FURUKAWA AUTOMOTIVE SYSTEMS, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yasushi Kihara, Kyutaro Abe, Yukihiro Kawamura, Takashi Tonoike, Takahito Nakashima, Hiroshi Kobayashi, Hiroyasu Taga
  • Patent number: 9835122
    Abstract: There is provided an airflow control device of an internal combustion engine comprising: a plasma actuator provided in an intake passage, a fuel injector for port injection provided in the intake passage so as to inject fuel toward the plasma actuator and a control unit for controlling them. The control unit is configured to actuate the plasma actuator after valve opening of an intake valve, in addition to causing the fuel injector to perform an operation of fuel injection, and causing the plasma actuator to perform an operation in a part of a valve closing period of the intake valve. Furthermore, the control unit includes a determination unit to determine whether or not water has adhered to the plasma actuator, and makes port injection operation and plasma actuator operation be performed only when water has adhered.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirokazu Ito
  • Patent number: 9834086
    Abstract: A radiator support structure includes: a first attachment member that is fixed to a vehicle body, and that supports a radiator body; and a second attachment member that (i) is separate from and unattached to the first attachment member, (ii) is attached to a front side member of the vehicle body through a shock absorbing member that is fixed to a vehicle front-rear direction front end of the front side member, and (iii) supports the radiator body. At least one of the first attachment member and the second attachment member is configured to detach from the radiator body when a collision force in the vehicle front-rear direction is applied to the second attachment member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasunori Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 9837869
    Abstract: A stator configured with an annular stator core, and a plurality of coils mounted on the stator core. The bus bar portion being connected to the terminal portion of a different one of the coils of the same phase. The coil is a multi-layer coil that is formed by winding the conductor in a plurality of layers in an inside-outside direction of loops in the winding portion, and that includes on inner and outer peripheral sides of a coil end portion of the coil a plurality of lane change portions formed by the conductor. The bus bar portion is embedded in a clearance between the lane change portions of the coil of a different phase placed between the coils of the same phase which are connected to each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shingo Hashimoto, Hiroyuki Tanaka, Takanori Ota, Shingo Sato, Daichi Kurashige, Hirotaka Kawaura, Norihiko Akao
  • Patent number: 9834197
    Abstract: Section acquisition systems, methods, and programs acquire a scheduled travel route of a vehicle driven by at least one of an internal combustion engine or a motor. The systems, methods, and programs divide the scheduled travel route that is in a range of a predetermined distance from a current location into a plurality of sections such that a difference in traffic congestion degree is distinguished, and divide the scheduled travel route that is not in the range of the predetermined distance from the current location into a plurality of sections such that a difference in travel load is distinguished.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoshi Hirano, Takayuki Miyajima, Tomoki Kodan, Kuniaki Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9836964
    Abstract: A vehicle identification system includes a communication device receiving other vehicle information related to other vehicle around a host vehicle, a detection device detecting other vehicle around the host vehicle, and a vehicle identification device identifying a vehicle transmitting the other vehicle information on the basis of the other vehicle information received by the communication device and the detection device, wherein the vehicle identification device is switching between a capturing mode capturing the transmitting vehicle on the basis of the other vehicle information received by the communication device and the detection device, and a tracking mode identifying the transmitting vehicle on the basis of a positional relation between the host vehicle and the transmitting vehicle at the time of the capturing mode, and motion information related to the transmitting vehicle based on the other vehicle information received by the communication device, after the capturing mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yusuke Nemoto
  • Patent number: 9836974
    Abstract: An operation management center divides an operation area in which an on-demand bus operates into a plurality of predetermined sub-areas, and searches for candidate routes on which the on-demand bus travels for each divided sub-area. The center sets one of the retrieved routes as a basic route, and sets, as adjustment time for each divided sub-area, time required when the bus passes through a location separated from the basic route. Thus, by setting such adjustment time for each sub-area, and by using the adjustment time set for each sub-area, the center can determine an operation plan that takes into account an additional request while reducing an impact on the determined operation plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masayuki Kawamoto, Hiroko Mori, Hironobu Kitaoka
  • Patent number: 9835104
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system comprising an exhaust purification catalyst, a downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor, and a control device performing air-fuel ratio control for controlling an air-fuel ratio of exhaust gas and abnormality diagnosis control for diagnosing the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor. In the air-fuel ratio control, the control device alternately and repeatedly switches the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst between a rich air-fuel ratio and a lean air-fuel ratio. In the abnormality diagnosis control, the control device judges that the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor has become abnormal when the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas is made the rich air-fuel ratio by the air-fuel control and the output air-fuel ratio of the downstream side air-fuel ratio sensor changes from an air-fuel ratio richer than a predetermined lean judged air-fuel ratio to an lean air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shuntaro Okazaki, Kenji Suzuki, Hiroshi Miyamoto, Yuji Miyoshi
  • Patent number: 9834213
    Abstract: A lane keeping assist apparatus is disclosed which includes a lane detecting part; an information output device; an actuator that generates a force for changing an orientation of a vehicle; and a controller that performs a lane keeping assist control based on a positional relationship between the lane and the vehicle, wherein the lane keeping assist control includes an alert control and an intervention control via the actuator, the controller selectively operates in a first mode where the alert control and the intervention control are executable, a second mode where only the intervention control is suppressed or a third mode where the alert control and the intervention control are suppressed, and the controller, during operating in the first mode, performs a mode transition to the second mode when the abnormality determination results indicate an abnormal state concerning only the part related to the intervention control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Okuda, Hidenobu Kinugasa, Taisuke Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 9835107
    Abstract: A microcomputer determines a presence of an abnormality of a fuel injection quantity control device based on a comparison between a required injection quantity as a command value for the amount of a fuel injected from an injector in one engine cycle and a total monitor injection quantity as a total value of monitor injection quantities obtained from an energization time monitor value of the injector for each fuel injection in the one engine cycle. The microcomputer removes a micro-injection correction amount from the monitor injection quantity when the monitor injection quantity is below a determination value and executes a removal processing in which the removal of the micro-injection correction amount from the monitor injection quantity is not performed when the monitor injection quantity is at least the determination value. The total value of the monitor injection quantities after the removal processing is regarded as the total monitor injection quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyasu Ito, Takuya Inamasu
  • Patent number: 9834170
    Abstract: A mounting assembly for an automotive radiator, a vehicle including such a mounting and a method of mitigating an impact between a vehicle and a pedestrian. The assembly includes a radiator support and one or more brackets. Each bracket is made up of a first end portion that is secured to the radiator support and a second end portion extending forward of the radiator support such that it can be attached to a load-bearing structure within a vehicle. The brackets each include at least one enhanced collapsible zone in order to promote energy absorption relative to energy transmission in situations where a vehicle experiences a front-end impact with a pedestrian or other object. In this way, the added energy absorption by the brackets reduces the amount of impact energy being transmitted to more rigid vehicular structures such as the radiator and its support; this increase in impact energy absorption in turn results in less energy being delivered to the pedestrian.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark C. Kulik, Naipaul D. Ramoutar
  • Patent number: 9834702
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a jet-black multilayer coating film having excellent properties in high appearance, water resistance, and humidity resistance and comprising a base coating film and a clear coating film formed by a coating composition containing a plant-derived aliphatic polyester mainly and a method for forming the same. A jet-black multilayer coating film comprising a base coating film layer formed by a base coating composition which contains a polyester polyol (A-1) containing a polyol having three or more functions and lactic acid as a consisting component of 80 mol % or more and having a hydroxyl value of 140 to 240 mgKOH/g wherein 70 mol % or more of the hydroxyl groups are secondary hydroxyl groups, an acrylic resin (A-2) with a hydroxyl value of 30 to 80 mgKOH/g and a glass transition point of 40 to 80° C.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Morita, Yasunori Miwa, Hirofumi Yamashita, Naoya Yabuuchi, Masahiko Ishii, Masako Hase
  • Patent number: 9834203
    Abstract: A vehicle control system for preventing malfunction of the clutch for selectively connecting the engine with the power train. The vehicle control system is applied to a vehicle having an engine, a motor disposed on a power train, and a clutch interposed therebetween. In order to prevent a malfunction of the clutch, the vehicle control system is configured to engage the clutch while causing a slip but without starting the engine if the engine has not yet been started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Yuji Iwase, Yosuke Suzuki, Koichi Kato, Seitaro Nobuyasu, Taro Moteki
  • Patent number: 9834103
    Abstract: A vehicle emits a first signal when the vehicle moves after reception of electric power from an electric power transmission device by an electric power reception device is completed and when a preparatory condition for the vehicle to move is satisfied after reception of electric power from the electric power transmission device by the electric power reception device is completed. When a charging station receives the first signal, the charging station emits a second signal notifying that a state allows charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Ichikawa, Satoshi Taniguchi
  • Patent number: 9835153
    Abstract: A variable displacement oil pump includes: a variable displacement mechanism that is able to change a discharge amount per rotation of an input shaft. The variable displacement mechanism includes a pump housing, an oil pressure chamber provided in the pump housing, and a capacity adjustment member displaced by oil pressure from the oil pressure chamber. The capacity adjustment member is configured to be operated when receiving control oil pressure that is supplied from a control valve to the oil pressure chamber. The pump housing has an oil release hole that is opened to face the oil pressure chamber and that penetrates a wall section of the pump housing to partially release oil.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Noriyuki Tsuge, Noboru Takagi, Shinichiro Ito, Yuki Nishida, Hisashi Ono
  • Patent number: 9834736
    Abstract: A lubricating oil composition for internal combustion engines of passenger and commercial four-wheeled vehicles is provided which can exhibit excellent fuel efficiency performance and wear resistance reliability. The lubricating oil composition includes a base oil and a complex polyester mixture. The base oil includes at least one of poly-?-olefin, an ester-based base oil, or a partially hydrogenated mineral oil. The complex polyester mixture includes a polyester obtained by condensing a polyhydric alcohol, a polycarboxylic acid, and a monohydric alcohol having an oxyalkylene group. The content of the complex polyester mixture is 0.01% by mass or more with respect to the total mass of the lubricating oil composition, the high-temperature shear viscosity (HTHS viscosity) at 150° C. is 1.0 mPa·s to 2.6 mPa·s, and the NOACK evaporation amount is 40% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: FUJIFILM Corporation, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiki Fujiwara, Hiroyuki Suzuki, Saisuke Watanabe, Ippei Fukutomi, Motoichi Murakami, Tetsushi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 9837888
    Abstract: A boost control apparatus is provided with a current value change amount detecting device configured to detect a change amount of output current that flows through the reactor in a first predetermined period during one-side element control for driving only one of a first switching element and a second switching element. A determining device is provided that is configured to determine that the output current is near zero if the change amount is less than a predetermined threshold value. A controlling device is also provided that is configured (i) to perform first duty control by a first control parameter if the output current is not near zero, and (ii) to perform second duty control by a second control parameter, which is different from the first control parameter, if the output current is near zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshifumi Yamakawa, Masaki Okamura, Naoyoshi Takamatsu
  • Patent number: 9835069
    Abstract: An object of the disclosure is to adjust the ammonia adsorption amount in an SCR catalyst supported on an SCR filter as close as possible to a target adsorption amount in an exhaust gas purification system including the SCR filter. In a system according to the disclosure, the quantity of ammonia supplied by an ammonia supplier is made smaller when a differential pressure change rate at the time when ammonia is supplied by the ammonia supplier is lower than a predetermined threshold than when the differential pressure change rate at the time when ammonia is supplied by the ammonia supplier is equal to or higher than the predetermined threshold. Moreover, when the differential pressure change rate is lower than the predetermined threshold, the change in the quantity of ammonia supplied by the ammonia supplier relative to the change in the filter PM deposition amount is kept equal to zero.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuriko Hagimoto, Takeru Shirasawa, Ryohei Ono, Kenji Furui
  • Patent number: 9833962
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for controlling a manufacturing process can include obstructing a part receiving path of a press station with a part detection fixture. The part detection fixture can include a moveable contact member and a target body that moves in response to motion of the moveable contact member. The moveable contact member of the part detection fixture can obstruct the part receiving path such that the target body of the part detection fixture is positioned in a dissenting state. The target body of the part detection fixture can be positioned in an assenting state coincident with contact between the moveable contact member of the part detection fixture and the workpiece. Image data of the target body of the part detection fixture can be detected with a vision system. The press station can be actuated when the image data is indicative of the assenting state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing Norh America, Inc.
    Inventor: Thoney R. Charles
  • Patent number: 9835389
    Abstract: A plurality of upper fins and a plurality of lower fins are each provided in an EGR passage so as to be adjacent to each other across a predetermined space in a direction perpendicular to an exhaust-gas flow direction. The upper fins and the lower fins are gradually narrowed in width toward their respective projection directions, so that both sides thereof in their width direction have inclined surfaces. A tilt angle of the inclined surfaces of the lower fins is made larger than a tilt angle of the inclined surfaces of the upper fins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Shinichi Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 9834172
    Abstract: A vehicular pedestrian protecting airbag device that is capable of suppressing increases in weight and cost accompanying reinforcement measures, and capable of maintaining good pedestrian protection performance of an upper face of a hood. An automobile pedestrian protecting airbag device is installed at a vehicle lower side of a rear end section of a hood at a vehicle rear side of a protruded portion. A pedestrian protecting airbag and an inflator are installed inside a module case. The inflator is attached to a bottom wall of the protruded portion by inflator attachment brackets each formed with an excess length portion at an intermediate portion. Accordingly, when the inflators attempt to move toward the vehicle front side due to deployment reaction force of the pedestrian protecting airbag, the excess length portions are compressed and deform to enable the deployment reaction force to escape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Hara
  • Patent number: 9837668
    Abstract: A core-shell composite material may include a core consisting of Nb-doped TiO2 of formula TiNbOx; and a shell consisting of a homogeneous layer of Pt or Pt alloy of 1 to 50 ML in thickness. The core-shell composite material may in particular find application in fuel cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA, Ilika Technologies Ltd.
    Inventors: Isotta Cerri, Tetsuo Nagami, Brian Elliott Hayden, Jonathan Conrad Davies
  • Patent number: 9836892
    Abstract: A vehicular control device includes: a transmitter section that transmits a request signal to an electronic key according to an input operation; a receiver section that receives a response signal from the electronic key; a verification section that performs verification of the electronic key on the basis of the response signal; a determination section that determines that an abnormal state occurs, when the receiver section cannot receive the response signal until a first time or when the receiver section receives the response signal until the first time and the verification section fails in verification based on the response signal, after the transmitter section has transmitted the request signal; and a control section that prohibits, when the determination section determines that an abnormal state occurs, a vehicle operation until a second time passes after the determination, and allows the vehicle operation after the second time has passed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Nishiyama, Tomoyuki Funayama
  • Patent number: 9834093
    Abstract: An EHC is configured to electrically heat a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas from an exhaust path of an internal combustion engine mounted on an electrically-powered vehicle, when a current passes through the EHC. A charger converts AC electric power supplied from an external power supply to a charging port into charging power of a power storage device by a power conversion path including an insulating transformer. The EHC is electrically connected to power lines which are provided on the primary side of the insulating transformer on the power conversion path, and to which a DC voltage is output. In a case where the EHC is operated when the vehicle travels, the charger converts the electric power from the power storage device into the DC voltage output to the power lines connected to the EHC, by a part of inverse conversion of power conversion at the time of external charging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Keita Hashimoto
  • Patent number: 9835523
    Abstract: A combustion pressure detection device for detecting combustion pressure inside a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, the combustion pressure detection device being attachable to a communication hole communicating an inside of a cylinder head configuring the combustion chamber and an outside thereof, the combustion pressure detection device includes: a housing; and an piezoelectric element and the like that are located in the housing and detect the combustion pressure. The housing has an attachment structural part attachable to the communication hole, the attachment structural part has a third outer peripheral surface to which a first seal member is attachable, and a inclined surface to which a second seal member is attachable, and the inclined surface is arranged at a front end side in a direction to the combustion chamber relative to the third outer peripheral surface when the combustion pressure detection device is attached to the communication hole.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignees: CITIZEN FINEDEVICE CO., LTD, TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Misaizu, Kazuo Takahashi, Yoshihiko Soga, Hiromichi Yasuda
  • Patent number: D804514
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yoshito Watanabe