Patents by Inventor Akiko Nishimine

Akiko Nishimine has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11932118
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure calculates motor torque using an MT vehicle model simulating an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine. In the first operation mode, an operation amount of a pseudo-clutch pedal and a shift position of a pseudo-gearshift are input to the MT vehicle model to reflect operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal and operation of the pseudo-gearshift in electric motor control. In the second operation mode where the operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal is not needed, an operation amount of a clutch pedal calculated by a driver model is input to the MT vehicle model instead of the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiko Nishimine, Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11926222
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is configured to be able to perform running by an MT mode that controls an electric motor with a torque characteristic like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and running by an EV mode that controls the electric motor with a normal torque characteristic. The electric vehicle includes a mode changeover switch for switching to the running by the MT mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Akiko Nishimine, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11897338
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. Further, the controller is configured to execute the stall production process for changing the engine output torque used for calculation of the driving wheel torque to zero when the calculated virtual engine speed using the MT vehicle model becomes lower than the prescribed stall engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Akiko Nishimine, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11833908
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to select a traveling mode between an MT mode in which an electric motor is controlled with torque characteristics like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and an EV mode in which the electric motor is controlled with normal torque characteristics. The controller of the electric vehicle controls the electric motor in the MT mode such that responsiveness of the motor torque with respect to a change in the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is lower than in the EV mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Akiko Nishimine, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11794718
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. The electric vehicle also includes a shift reaction force generator that generates a shift reaction force in response to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using by the operating of the reaction force actuator. The controller is configured to store the shift reaction force characteristic simulating the characteristic of the shift reaction force according to the operation of the shifter. Then, the controller is configured to control the shift reaction force output by the shift reaction force generator according to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using the stored shift reaction force characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Akiko Nishimine, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11760209
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. Further, the controller is configured to execute the stall production process for changing the engine output torque used for calculation of the driving wheel torque to zero when the calculated virtual engine speed using the MT vehicle model becomes lower than the prescribed stall engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Akiko Nishimine, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11654777
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to select a traveling mode between an MT mode in which an electric motor is controlled with torque characteristics like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and an EV mode in which the electric motor is controlled with normal torque characteristics. When the selection of the travelling mode is changed by a driver, the controller of the electric vehicle determines whether a control mode can be switched, based on a condition in which the electric vehicle is placed, and switches the control mode in accordance with the determination result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiko Nishimine, Yoichiro Isami, Yoshio Itou, Hiroyuki Amano, Tatsuya Imamura, Hiroaki Ebuchi, Hiroaki Kodera
  • Patent number: 11499625
    Abstract: A cooling system for a power transmission unit that can supply oil properly to a differential mechanism and motors. The cooling system comprises: a first branch passage to supply the oil to the differential mechanism; a second branch passage to supply the oil to the first motor; and a third branch passage to supply the oil to the second motor. The second branch passage includes a first oil feeding section that supplies the oil to a coil of the first motor, and a second oil feeding section that supplies the oil f to a core of the first motor. The third branch passage includes a third oil feeding section that supplies the oil to a coil of the second motor, and a fourth oil feeding section that supplies the oil to a core of the second motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Akiko Nishimine, Shotaro Kato, Masashi Shinoda, So Okita
  • Patent number: 11479236
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle configured to suppress a temperature rise in a transmission while achieving a required driving force without modifying a cooling system. If a temperature in the transmission is lower than a threshold level during propulsion in a hybrid mode, a controller operates an engine at an optimally fuel efficient point. If the temperature in the transmission system is equal to or higher than the threshold level during propulsion in a hybrid mode, the controller shifts the operating point of the engine to the point at which the heat generation in the transmission system can be suppressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kensei Hata, Akiko Nishimine
  • Patent number: 11318895
    Abstract: A soundproofing device for a transmission according to the present disclosure is provided to transmit the power of one or more prime movers (for example, internal combustion engine and electric motor). The soundproofing device includes a Helmholtz resonator including: a wall that forms a Helmholtz resonance chamber; and an opening formed in the wall so as to cause the Helmholtz resonance chamber to communicate with the outside of the Helmholtz resonance chamber. The wall includes a transmission case that accommodates the transmission and a housing of a component mounted on the transmission (for example, PCU housing). The Helmholtz resonance chamber is formed between the transmission case and the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shotaro Kato, Akiko Nishimine, Fusahiro Tsukano, Yu Miyahara, Yuya Takahashi, Akinori Goto, Hiroshi Takekawa
  • Publication number: 20220041064
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to select a traveling mode between an MT mode in which an electric motor is controlled with torque characteristics like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and an EV mode in which the electric motor is controlled with normal torque characteristics. When the selection of the travelling mode is changed by a driver, the controller of the electric vehicle determines whether a control mode can be switched, based on a condition in which the electric vehicle is placed, and switches the control mode in accordance with the determination result.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiko NISHIMINE, Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041157
    Abstract: A drive force control system for a vehicle configured to accurately imitate a change in a drive force in a model vehicle. A drive torque simulator computes a virtual drive torque supposed to be delivered to drive wheels of the model vehicle in response to a manual operation to manipulate the vehicle, based on torque changing factors of a powertrain of the model vehicle. An actual torque calculator computes a target torque of a motor that is practically delivered to the drive wheels in the vehicle based on the virtual drive torque computed by the drive torque simulator, taking account of torque changing factors of the powertrain of the vehicle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya IMAMURA, Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041065
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure is configured to be able to select a traveling mode between an MT mode in which an electric motor is controlled with torque characteristics like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and an EV mode in which the electric motor is controlled with normal torque characteristics. The controller of the electric vehicle controls the electric motor in the MT mode such that responsiveness of the motor torque with respect to a change in the operation amount of the accelerator pedal is lower than in the EV mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041067
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. Further, the controller is configured to execute the stall production process for changing the engine output torque used for calculation of the driving wheel torque to zero when the calculated virtual engine speed using the MT vehicle model becomes lower than the prescribed stall engine speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041066
    Abstract: An electric vehicle is configured to be able to perform running by an MT mode that controls an electric motor with a torque characteristic like an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine, and running by an EV mode that controls the electric motor with a normal torque characteristic. The electric vehicle includes a mode changeover switch for switching to the running by the MT mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041063
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. The electric vehicle also includes a pedal reaction force generator that generates a pedal reaction force in response to the operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal using by the operating of the reaction force actuator. The controller is configured to store the pedal reaction force characteristic simulating the characteristic of the pedal reaction force according to the operation of the clutch pedal. Then, the controller is configured to control the pedal reaction force output by the pedal reaction force generator in response to the operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal using the stored pedal reaction force characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041070
    Abstract: The electrical vehicle includes a shift lever and a clutch pedal for pseudo-realizing the manual gear change operation of the MT vehicle, and a controller for controlling the operation of the electric vehicle. The shift lever is operated by the driver to select an arbitrary virtual gear stage mode from among a plurality of virtual gear stage modes in which torque characteristics with respect to the rotational speed of the electric motor are stepwise different. The clutch pedal is operated by the driver when the shift lever is operated. The controller calculates the virtual engine speed of the virtual engine based on the virtual gear stage mode selected by the shift lever and the operation amount of the clutch pedal, and displays the virtual engine speed on the display.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041062
    Abstract: The electric vehicle according to the present disclosure calculates motor torque using an MT vehicle model simulating an MT vehicle having a manual transmission and an internal combustion engine. In the first operation mode, an operation amount of a pseudo-clutch pedal and a shift position of a pseudo-gearshift are input to the MT vehicle model to reflect operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal and operation of the pseudo-gearshift in electric motor control. In the second operation mode where the operation of the pseudo-clutch pedal is not needed, an operation amount of a clutch pedal calculated by a driver model is input to the MT vehicle model instead of the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiko NISHIMINE, Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Publication number: 20220041155
    Abstract: The controller of the electric vehicle is configured to control the torque of the electric motor using the MT vehicle model based on the operation amount of the accelerator pedal, the operation amount of the pseudo-clutch pedal, and the shift position of the pseudo-shifter. The electric vehicle also includes a shift reaction force generator that generates a shift reaction force in response to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using by the operating of the reaction force actuator. The controller is configured to store the shift reaction force characteristic simulating the characteristic of the shift reaction force according to the operation of the shifter. Then, the controller is configured to control the shift reaction force output by the shift reaction force generator according to the operation of the pseudo-shifter using the stored shift reaction force characteristic.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoichiro ISAMI, Yoshio ITOU, Hiroyuki AMANO, Tatsuya IMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Hiroaki EBUCHI, Hiroaki KODERA
  • Patent number: 11241951
    Abstract: A drive unit is provided for hybrid vehicles capable of reducing electric power consumption during propulsion in an EV mode. The drive unit includes a first planetary gear unit to which an engine is connected, and a second planetary gear unit connected to a third rotary element of the first planetary gear unit. The drive unit includes a first engagement device that connects a first rotary element of the first planetary gear unit and a sixth rotary element of the second planetary gear unit, and a second engagement device that connects a fourth rotary element and the sixth rotary element of the second planetary gear unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideaki Komada, Takahito Endo, Tatsuya Imamura, Kensei Hata, Akiko Nishimine