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).
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Patent number: 9102322Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus configured to selectively establish one of a first drive state in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator operated with an electric energy supplied from an electric-energy storage device while an engine is placed in a rest state, and a second drive state in which a first motor/generator is operated with a drive force of the engine, to generate an electric energy and in which the vehicle drive force is generated primarily by the second motor/generator operated with at least the electric energy generated by the first motor/generator. The vehicle control apparatus is further configured such that the vehicle drive force generated in the second drive state at a given value of an accelerator pedal operation amount ?acc is larger than that generated in the first drive state.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: August 11, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryoki Il, Akihiro Sato, Norihiro Yamamura, Akiko Nishimine, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoaki Furukawa, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Koji Hayashi
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Publication number: 20150203095Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus configured to selectively establish one of a first drive state in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator operated with an electric energy supplied from an electric-energy storage device while an engine is placed in a rest state, and a second drive state in which a first motor/generator is operated with a drive force of the engine, to generate an electric energy and in which the vehicle drive force is generated primarily by the second motor/generator operated with at least the electric energy generated by the first motor/generator. The vehicle control apparatus is further configured such that the vehicle drive force generated in the second drive state at a given value of an accelerator pedal operation amount ?acc is larger than that generated in the first drive state.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 24, 2015Publication date: July 23, 2015Inventors: Ryoki II, Akihiro SATO, Norihiro YAMAMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Tomoyuki MARUYAMA, Takeshi MIYAGAWA, Tomoaki FURUKAWA, Takeshi KANAYAMA, Tetsuo HORI, Koji HAYASHI
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Patent number: 9061679Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: engine starting means for starting an engine when a need for switching to a 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted, the hybrid vehicle having a series HV drive mode in which the hybrid vehicle is run with a second electric motor, in the released state of a connecting/disconnecting device, while a first electric motor is operated with a drive force of said engine to generate an electric energy, the control apparatus further including, as said engine starting means, series HV drive controlling means for starting said engine and enlarging a series HV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said series HV drive mode, so as to cover a portion or an entirety of an original EV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said EV drive mode, when the need for switching to said 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2011Date of Patent: June 23, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tomoyuki Maruyama, Norihiro Yamamura, Akiko Nishimine, Ryoki Il, Tomoaki Furukawa, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Miyagawa, Akihiro Sato
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Patent number: 9026291Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device having an EV running mode enabling a vehicle to run only with a second rotating machine used as a drive power source while an engine is disconnected from a drive power transmission path, a series HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run only with the second rotating machine used as the drive power source while a first rotating machine is rotationally driven to generate electricity by the engine disconnected from the drive power transmission path, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines used as the drive power sources while the engine is connected to the drive power transmission path. If a driver desires power-performance-oriented running or fuel-efficiency-oriented running, the range for selecting the series HEV running mode is made narrower or wider, respectively, than usual.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: May 5, 2015Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Ryoki Ii, Tomoaki Furukawa, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Patent number: 8868277Abstract: A hybrid drive system configured to selectively establish one of a first drive mode in which a first motor/generator MG1 is operated with a drive force of an engine, to generate an electric energy and in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator MG2, and a second drive mode in which the vehicle drive force is generated by the engine, and at least one of the first motor/generator MG1 and second motor/generator MG2 is operated to generate an assisting vehicle drive force, as needed, and further configured such that an amount of a working oil to be supplied to the first motor/generator MG1 is larger in the first drive mode than in the second drive mode, permitting sufficient cooling of the electric motor depending upon a selected one of the vehicle drive modes.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: October 21, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akiko Nishimine, Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Takeshi Miyagawa, Ryoki Ii, Tomoaki Furukawa, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Patent number: 8798837Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device includes: a first rotating machine coupled to an engine; a connection/disconnection device capable of connecting/disconnecting the engine and the first rotating machine to/from wheels; and a second rotating machine disposed in a manner enabling transmission of drive power to the wheels, the vehicle hybrid drive device enabling a vehicle to run in two running modes of an EV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the second rotating machine used as a drive power source while the connection/disconnection device is disconnected, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines as the drive power sources while the connection/disconnection device is connected.Type: GrantFiled: November 4, 2010Date of Patent: August 5, 2014Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takeshi Kanayama, Koji Hayashi, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoaki Furukawa, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato, Ryoki Il
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Publication number: 20140158467Abstract: A power transmission device has a first check valve and a second check valve on the respective discharge passages. An oil temperature sensor is disposed at a position that is vertically lower than an oil-introducing portion of a merging section.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2013Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hiroaki KIMURA, Akiko NISHIMINE, Takeshi KUWAHARA, Ryota TAKAYANAGI
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Publication number: 20140129067Abstract: A control device of a vehicle includes: an engine; a connection/disconnection device configured to connect/interrupt the engine; a rotating machine disposed to enable transmission of drive power to the wheels; and a running position selection device, the control device including a first manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing vehicle deceleration while the automatic running position is selected and a second manual mode selected by performing a deceleration increasing operation by a driver for increasing the vehicle deceleration while the manual running position is selected, while the vehicle is running with the engine interrupted from the wheels, if the first manual mode is selected, the vehicle deceleration being generated only by the rotating machine, and if the second manual mode is selected, the connection/disconnection device being put into the connected state to generate the vehicle deceleration at least by the engine.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: May 8, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoaki Furukawa, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Ryoki II, Koji Hayashi, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Publication number: 20140077941Abstract: A vehicular indicator device for a hybrid vehicle which is provided with vehicle drive power sources in the form of an engine and an electric motor and which is driven in one of a plurality of vehicle drive modes including an EV drive mode, a series HV drive mode and a parallel HV drive mode that is automatically selected according to a vehicle drive power, said indicator device being configured to indicate the selected vehicle drive mode and said vehicle drive power, the vehicular indicator device being configured to indicate a running state of the hybrid vehicle as represented by said vehicle drive power and said selected vehicle drive mode, in a two-dimensional coordinate system on a display screen, which coordinate system is defined by said vehicle drive power and said selected vehicle drive mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 10, 2011Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Norihiro Yamamura, Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Ryoki II, Tomoaki Furukawa, Akihiro Sato
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Publication number: 20140051546Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle includes: engine starting means for starting an engine when a need for switching to a 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted, the hybrid vehicle having a series HV drive mode in which the hybrid vehicle is run with a second electric motor, in the released state of a connecting/disconnecting device, while a first electric motor is operated with a drive force of said engine to generate an electric energy, the control apparatus further including, as said engine starting means, series HV drive controlling means for starting said engine and enlarging a series HV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said series HV drive mode, so as to cover a portion or an entirety of an original EV drive mode region for running the hybrid vehicle in said EV drive mode, when the need for switching to said 4-wheel drive mode has been forecasted.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 24, 2011Publication date: February 20, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Maruyama, Norihiro Yamamura, Akiko Nishimine, Ryoki II, Tomoaki Furukawa, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Miyagawa, Akihiro Sato
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Publication number: 20130253744Abstract: A hybrid drive system configured to selectively establish one of a first drive mode in which a first motor/generator MG1 is operated with a drive force of an engine, to generate an electric energy and in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator MG2, and a second drive mode in which the vehicle drive force is generated by the engine, and at least one of the first motor/generator MG1 and second motor/generator MG2 is operated to generate an assisting vehicle drive force, as needed, and further configured such that an amount of a working oil to be supplied to the first motor/generator MG1 is larger in the first drive mode than in the second drive mode, permitting sufficient cooling of the electric motor depending upon a selected one of the vehicle drive modes.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akiko Nishimine, Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Takeshi Miyagawa, Ryoki Ii, Tomoaki Furukawa, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Publication number: 20130253743Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus configured to selectively establish one of a first drive state in which a vehicle drive force is generated primarily by a second motor/generator operated with an electric energy supplied from an electric-energy storage device while an engine is placed in a rest state, and a second drive state in which a first motor/generator is operated with a drive force of the engine, to generate an electric energy and in which the vehicle drive force is generated primarily by the second motor/generator operated with at least the electric energy generated by the first motor/generator. The vehicle control apparatus is further configured such that the vehicle drive force generated in the second drive state at a given value of an accelerator pedal operation amount ?acc is larger than that generated in the first drive state.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: September 26, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tomoyuki Maruyama, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoaki Furukawa, Ryoki Ii, Akihiro Sato, Norihiro Yamamura, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Koji Hayashi
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Publication number: 20130226387Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device having an EV running mode enabling a vehicle to run only with a second rotating machine used as a drive power source while an engine is disconnected from a drive power transmission path, a series HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run only with the second rotating machine used as the drive power source while a first rotating machine is rotationally driven to generate electricity by the engine disconnected from the drive power transmission path, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines used as the drive power sources while the engine is connected to the drive power transmission path. If a driver desires power-performance-oriented running or fuel-efficiency-oriented running, the range for selecting the series HEV running mode is made narrower or wider, respectively, than usual.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: August 29, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koji Hayashi, Takeshi Kanayama, Tetsuo Hori, Ryoki Ii, Tomoaki Furukawa, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato
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Publication number: 20130218394Abstract: A vehicle hybrid drive device includes: a first rotating machine coupled to an engine; a connection/disconnection device capable of connecting/disconnecting the engine and the first rotating machine to/from wheels; and a second rotating machine disposed in a manner enabling transmission of drive power to the wheels, the vehicle hybrid drive device enabling a vehicle to run in two running modes of an EV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the second rotating machine used as a drive power source while the connection/disconnection device is disconnected, and a parallel HEV running mode enabling the vehicle to run with the engine and at least one of the first and second rotating machines as the drive power sources while the connection/disconnection device is connected.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2010Publication date: August 22, 2013Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takeshi Kanayama, Koji Hayashi, Tetsuo Hori, Tomoyuki Maruyama, Akiko Nishimine, Takeshi Miyagawa, Tomoaki Furukawa, Norihiro Yamamura, Akihiro Sato, Ryoki II
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Patent number: 8327884Abstract: A regulator valve is structured such that hydraulic pressure to be output from a regulated pressure output port is regulated according to urging forces, i.e., line pressure to be regulated, throttle pressure, spring force from a compression coil spring, and operating force from a plunger, which are applied to a valve spool. The plunger has a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion having a diameter larger than the diameter of the small diameter portion, both of which are axially displaceably retained in a spring receiving sleeve. The small diameter portion is urged in one axial direction at one end of the plunger that protrudes into a spring chamber and faces the valve spool, while the large diameter portion is urged in the other axial direction by range pressure at the other end of the plunger which is isolated from the small diameter portion located in the spring chamber.Type: GrantFiled: April 25, 2008Date of Patent: December 11, 2012Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Aisin AW Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akiko Nishimine, Shinichi Ito, Kenichi Tsuchida
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Patent number: 8100804Abstract: A hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission, which includes a brake, used to establish a first gear step and a reverse gear step. The hydraulic control system includes a first solenoid valve, a second solenoid valve and a control valve, which is switched by a hydraulic signal from the second solenoid valve, and that are operated simultaneously to engage the first-gear step and reverse gear step engagement element; and an neutral gear position engagement control unit that activates both solenoid valves when a shift lever is shifted to neutral to engage the brake. Thus, the generation of a shock may be prevented when the shift lever is shifted from the N position to an R position.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2007Date of Patent: January 24, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akiko Nishimine, Kenichi Tsuchida
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Patent number: 8088039Abstract: In a hydraulic control apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission, a check valve is provided parallel to a first oil passageway switching valve and a third oil passageway switching valve between an output port of a linear solenoid valve and a brake, and the check valve permits pressure oil to flow from the brake to the output port side, and blocks the flow thereof in the opposite direction. Therefore, the pressure oil from the brake when the brake is released is supplied to the output port via the check valve, not via the first or third oil passageway switching valve. Therefore, when the brake is released, the engaging pressure of the brake can be controlled by the linear solenoid valve, and the positions of the first and third oil passageway switching valves are not restricted.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2010Date of Patent: January 3, 2012Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akiko Nishimine, Hideki Miyata
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Publication number: 20110245033Abstract: In a vehicular hybrid drive system including an engine, a first rotary machine that is mechanically connected to the engine and is used at least as a generator, a belt-and-pulley continuously variable transmission to which output of the engine and the first rotary machine is transmitted via an input shaft, and a clutch device that permits and interrupts power transmission between the belt-and-pulley continuously variable transmission and driving wheels, and a second rotary machine that is used at least as an electric motor, and is arranged to cause a vehicle to run even when the engine is stopped, an input pulley of the belt-and-pulley continuously variable transmission is disposed coaxially with the engine, and is mechanically connected to the engine via the input shaft, such that the input pulley is rotated and stopped along with the engine at all times.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2011Publication date: October 6, 2011Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akihiro SATO, Yasuyuki KATO, Akiko NISHIMINE, Masami KANNO
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Publication number: 20100327206Abstract: A regulator valve is structured such that hydraulic pressure to be output from a regulated pressure output port is regulated according to urging forces, i.e., line pressure to be regulated, throttle pressure, spring force from a compression coil spring, and operating force from a plunger, which are applied to a valve spool. The plunger has a small diameter portion and a large diameter portion having a diameter larger than the diameter of the small diameter portion, both of which are axially displaceably retained in a spring receiving sleeve. The small diameter portion is urged in one axial direction at one end of the plunger that protrudes into a spring chamber and faces the valve spool, while the large diameter portion is urged in the other axial direction by range pressure at the other end of the plunger which is isolated from the small diameter portion located in the spring chamber.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2008Publication date: December 30, 2010Applicants: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA, AISIN AW CO., LTD.Inventors: Akiko Nishimine, Shinichi Ito, Kenichi Tsuchida
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Publication number: 20100210416Abstract: In a hydraulic control apparatus for a vehicle automatic transmission, a check valve is provided parallel to a first oil passageway switching valve and a third oil passageway switching valve between an output port of a linear solenoid valve and a brake, and the check valve permits pressure oil to flow from the brake to the output port side, and blocks the flow thereof in the opposite direction. Therefore, the pressure oil from the brake when the brake is released is supplied to the output port via the check valve, not via the first or third oil passageway switching valve. Therefore, when the brake is released, the engaging pressure of the brake can be controlled by the linear solenoid valve, and the positions of the first and third oil passageway switching valves are not restricted.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2010Publication date: August 19, 2010Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akiko Nishimine, Hideki Miyata