Patents by Inventor Akira Hoshino

Akira Hoshino 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: 7384361
    Abstract: The transmission is constructed so that the rotation of the input shaft is outputted to the second transmission portion via the first intermediate output path and the second intermediate output path accelerated and rotated with respect to the first intermediate output path, and the first rotary element is selectively connected to the first driven gear via the first clutch and is selectively connected to the second driven gear via the third clutch, the second rotary element are selectively connected to the first driven gear via the second clutch and are selectively connected to the transmission case operating as a non-rotating member via the first brake, the third rotary element is connected to the output gear, the fourth rotary element is selectively connected to the transmission case via the second brake, and the fifth rotary element is selectively connected to the second driven gear via the fourth clutch.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7355234
    Abstract: A stacked capacitor formed in a capacitor hole includes a bottom electrode, capacitor insulation film and a top electrode. The bottom electrode includes a plurality of islands formed on an underlying insulating film, and a metallic film covering the islands on the underlying insulating film. The larger surface of the bottom electrode increases the capacitance of the stacked capacitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2008
    Assignee: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Hoshino
  • Publication number: 20070287572
    Abstract: An automatic transmission having first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for outputting a rotary motion a speed of which is higher than the speed of a rotary motion received from an input member, the first group being established by an engaging action of a first input clutch while the second group being established by an engaging action of a second input clutch, or first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for reducing the speed of the rotary motion received from the input member, the first and second groups being established by an engaging action of a first and second input clutches respectively. The successive operating positions of the first group have respective speed ratios different from those of the second group. The automatic transmission is shiftable to a selected one of the successive operating positions of a selected one of the first and second groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Publication date: December 13, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi TABATA, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7276011
    Abstract: An automatic transmission having first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for outputting a rotary motion a speed of which is higher than the speed of a rotary motion received from an input member, the first group being established by an engaging action of a first input clutch while the second group being established by an engaging action of a second input clutch, or first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for reducing the speed of the rotary motion received from the input member, the first and second groups being established by an engaging action of a first and second input clutches respectively. The successive operating positions of the first group have respective speed ratios different from those of the second group. The automatic transmission is shiftable to a selected one of the successive operating positions of a selected one of the first and second groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7267630
    Abstract: With the automatic transmission 10-1 for vehicle according to the present embodiment, since multistage transmission of eight forward gear stages can be obtained by means of four sets of planetary gear sets 12, 16, 18 and 20, four clutches C1 through C4 and three brakes B1 through B3, the transmission can be fabricated to be light in weight and made compact, wherein the mountability thereof in a vehicle can be improved. Further, as has been made clear in FIG. 1(b), since speed change in the respective gear stages can be carried out only by a shifting action of any two of the clutches C1 through C4 and brakes B1 through B3, the speed change control can be facilitated and it is possible to prevent a shock to the transmission from occurring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7232022
    Abstract: In a hydraulic servo for a clutch, a cancel plate is disposed on a second clutch drum that undergoes the same rotation as a second clutch drum provided with a cylinder portion, in such a fashion that the cancel plate is restricted from moving to a side opposite from a return spring in an axial direction. The first clutch drum is disposed, as a separate member, on the second clutch drum. A step portion of the second clutch drum prevents the first clutch drum from moving to a side opposite from the cancel plate. Due to the spring force of the return spring, the oil pressure in the cancel oil chamber and the oil pressure in the operating oil chamber, the force that presses the first clutch drum to the step portion is always greater than the force that presses the first clutch drum to the cancel plate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2007
    Assignees: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiko Aoki, Takuya Fujimine, Minoru Todo, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Hirofumi Ota, Akira Hoshino, Atsushi Tabata, Akiharu Abe, Masafumi Kinoshita, Atsushi Honda, Kazutoshi Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20070129200
    Abstract: The transmission 10 is constructed so that, in the first transmission portion 36, the rotation of the input shaft 16 is outputted to the second transmission portion 38 via the first intermediate output path M1 and the second intermediate output path M2 accelerated and rotated with respect to the first intermediate output path M1, and, in the second transmission portion 38, the first rotary element RE1 (S2 and S3) is selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the first clutch C1 and is selectively connected to the second driven gear CG2B via the third clutch C3, the second rotary element RE2 (CA1 and CA2) are selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the second clutch C2 and are selectively connected to the transmission case 12 operating as a non-rotating member via the first brake B1, the third rotary element RE3 (R1, R2 and CA3) is connected to the output gear 28 operating as an output rotating member, the fourth rotary element RE4 (S1) is selectively connected to the transmission
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Publication date: June 7, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20070102257
    Abstract: In a hydraulic servo for a clutch, a cancel plate is disposed on a second clutch drum that undergoes the same rotation as a second clutch drum provided with a cylinder portion, in such a fashion that the cancel plate is restricted from moving to a side opposite from a return spring in an axial direction. The first clutch drum is disposed, as a separate member, on the second clutch drum. A step portion of the second clutch drum prevents the first clutch drum from moving to a side opposite from the cancel plate. Due to the spring force of the return spring, the oil pressure in the cancel oil chamber and the oil pressure in the operating oil chamber, the force that presses the first clutch drum to the step portion is always greater than the force that presses the first clutch drum to the cancel plate side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Publication date: May 10, 2007
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiko Aoki, Takuya Fujimine, Minoru Todo, Kazuhisa Ozaki, Hirofumi Ota, Akira Hoshino, Atsushi Tabata, Akiharu Abe, Masafumi Kinoshita, Atsushi Honda, Kazutoshi Nozaki
  • Patent number: 7186203
    Abstract: The transmission 10 is constructed so that, in the first transmission portion 36, the rotation of the input shaft 16 is outputted to the second transmission portion 38 via the first intermediate output path M1 and the second intermediate output path M2 accelerated and rotated with respect to the first intermediate output path M1, and, in the second transmission portion 38, the first rotary element RE1 (S2 and S3) is selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the first clutch C1 and is selectively connected to the second driven gear CG2B via the third clutch C3, the second rotary element RE2 (CA1 and CA2) are selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the second clutch C2 and are selectively connected to the transmission case 12 operating as a non-rotating member via the first brake B1, the third rotary element RE3 (R1, R2 and CA3) is connected to the output gear 28 operating as an output rotating member, the fourth rotary element RE4 (S1) is selectively connected to the transmission
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7172527
    Abstract: A planetary-gear-type multiple-step transmission including a stationary member, an input rotary member, an output rotary member, and first and second transmission units. The first transmission unit has first and second intermediate transmitting paths through which a rotary motion of the input rotary member is transmittable to the second transmission unit such that a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the second intermediate transmitting path is lower than a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the first intermediate transmitting path. The second transmission unit constitutes first, second, third and fourth rotary modules, each of which is provided by at least one of sun gears, carriers and ring gears of two planetary gear sets. The first rotary module is selectively connected to the second intermediate transmitting path, while being selectively connected to the stationary member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2007
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akiharu Abe, Akira Hoshino, Atsushi Tabata, Atsushi Honda, Terufumi Miyazaki, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20060244102
    Abstract: A stacked capacitor formed in a capacitor hole includes a bottom electrode, capacitor insulation film and a top electrode. The bottom electrode includes a plurality of islands formed on an underlying insulating film, and a metallic film covering the islands on the underlying insulating film. The larger surface of the bottom electrode increases the capacitance of the stacked capacitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2006
    Publication date: November 2, 2006
    Applicant: Elpida Memory, Inc.
    Inventor: Akira Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7118509
    Abstract: A multiple-step transmission including a first transmission portion including a first intermediate output path which transmits, at a first speed ratio, an input rotary motion of an input member, and a second intermediate output path which transmits the input rotary motion at a second speed ratio greater than the first speed ratio; and a second transmission portion including a 2-1, a 2-2, and a 2-3 planetary gear set each of which includes a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear, the 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 planetary gear sets being partly connected to each other to provide a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth rotary element, the second transmission portion further including a first brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the first rotary element, a second brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the second rotary element, a first clutch which selectively connects the fifth rotary element to the second intermediate output path of the first transmission portion, a second clutch which sele
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7115065
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle including a target-drive-force setting portion operable to determine a target vehicle drive force, such that the determined target vehicle drive force permits a smooth change of an actual vehicle drive force with a change of the operating amount of the vehicle accelerating member, irrespective of a shifting action of the transmission, a first controlling portion having a relatively high operating response and operable to effect a transient control of a torque of the drive power source, and a second controlling portion having lower operating response than the first controlling portion but is capable of continuously controlling the torque of the drive power source, the second controlling portion being operable to effect a continuous control of the torque of the drive power source following the transient control by the first controlling portion, so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with said target vehicle drive force after the shifting action of the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 7101305
    Abstract: A planetary-gear-type multiple-step transmission including a stationary member, an input rotary member, an output rotary member, and first and second transmission units. The first transmission unit transmits a rotary motion from an input rotary member to the second transmission unit through first and second intermediate transmitting paths such that a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the second intermediate transmitting path is lower than that of the rotary motion transmitted through the first intermediate transmitting path. The second transmission unit constitutes first, second, third, fourth and fifth rotary elements, each of which is provided by at least one of sun gears, carriers and ring gears of three planetary gear sets. The first rotary element is selectively connected to the second intermediate transmitting path, while being selectively connected to the stationary member. The second rotary element is selectively connected to the first intermediate transmitting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7080724
    Abstract: A start control device is provided for a vehicle that is subjected to neutral control for releasing a coupling element of an automatic transmission when the vehicle is stopped with predetermined conditions satisfied while the automatic transmission is in a forward drive position. The start control device detects a braking operation performed by the driver of the vehicle or a braking condition during the neutral control, and controls the braking force of the vehicle when the vehicle returns from the neutral control, based on the detected braking operation or the braking condition during the neutral control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshio Hasegawa, Akira Hoshino, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Katsumi Nakatani, Tooru Matsubara
  • Patent number: 7052435
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle including an engine with an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve having a variable operating characteristic, a transmission having a plurality of operating positions that are selectively established, and a manually operable vehicle accelerating member, the apparatus including a target-drive-force setting portion operable to determine a target vehicle drive force on the basis of an operating amount of the accelerating member and a presently selected one of the operating positions of the transmission, such that the determined target vehicle drive force permits a smooth change of an actual vehicle drive force with a change of the operating amount of the vehicle accelerating member, irrespective of a shifting action of the transmission, and a drive-power-source-torque control portion (104) operable to control a torque of the engine, by controlling at least one of a lift amount, an operating period of an opening and closing action and an operating timing of the in
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Yoshikazu Tanaka, Masami Kondo
  • Patent number: 7048669
    Abstract: The transmission is constructed with a first ring gear and a third ring gear that are firmly connected. A second ring gear and a third carrier are also firmly connected. A second sun gear and a third sun gear are also firmly connected. An input shaft is connectable to a first carrier via a first clutch. The input shaft is connectable to a first sun gear via a second clutch. A third clutch is disposed between the first carrier and a second ring gear. The first carrier is connectable to the second ring gear and the third carrier via the third clutch. A first brake is provided between the first sun gear and a transmission case. A second brake is provided between the transmission case and the first ring gear as well as the third ring gear. A third brake and a one-way clutch are provided in parallel between the first carrier and the transmission case. A fourth brake is provided between the transmission case and the second sun gear as well as the third sun gear.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Terufumi Miyazaki, Yasuo Hojo, Akira Hoshino
  • Patent number: 7044881
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes a first rotating element provided by a sun gear of a second planetary gear set, a second rotating element provided by coupling carriers of the second planetary gear set and a third planetary gear set to each other, a third rotating element provided by coupling ring gears of the second and third planetary gear sets to each other, and a fourth rotating element provided by a sun gear of the third planetary gear set. The second and third planetary gear sets are combined with a first planetary gear set so that the automatic transmission can provide seven forward gear stages by changing a combination of two engaging elements, such as clutches and brakes, for coupling or stopping the corresponding rotating elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Yasuo Hojo, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki
  • Patent number: 7029416
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes a first rotating element provided by coupling a sun gear of a second planetary gear set and a carrier of a third planetary gear set to each other, a second rotating element provided by coupling a carrier of the second planetary gear set and a ring gear of the third planetary gear set to each other, a third rotating element provided by a ring gear of the second planetary gear set, and a fourth rotating element provided by a sun gear of the third planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Terufumi Miyazaki, Yoshihiro Iijima, Atsushi Tabata, Yasuo Hojo, Akira Hoshino
  • Patent number: 6887178
    Abstract: An automatic transmission includes a first rotating element provided by coupling a sun gear of a second planetary gear set and a carrier of a third planetary gear set to each other, a second rotating element provided by coupling a carrier of the second planetary gear set and a ring gear of the third planetary gear set to each other, a third rotating element provided by a ring gear of the second planetary gear set, and a fourth rotating element provided by a sun gear of the third planetary gear set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Terufumi Miyazaki, Yoshihiro Iijima, Atsushi Tabata, Yasuo Hojo, Akira Hoshino