Patents by Inventor Akitoshi Iwata

Akitoshi Iwata 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: 11225903
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing that has a bypass passage defined therein. The bypass passage connects a section of an exhaust passage on the upstream side of a turbine wheel to a section of the exhaust passage on the downstream side of the turbine wheel. A wastegate, which selectively opens and closes the bypass passage, is attached to the turbine housing. A valve seat for the wastegate is provided at an open edge of the bypass passage in the inner wall surface of the turbine housing. An abradable portion, which is a deformable portion, is adhered to the valve member of the wastegate. The abradable portion is configured to be deformed in accordance with the shape of the valve seat by contacting the valve seat when the bypass passage is shifted from the open state to the fully closed state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi Iwata, Osamu Igarashi
  • Patent number: 10934882
    Abstract: A wastegate is attached to a turbine housing of a turbocharger. The wastegate opens and closes a bypass passage. An actuator is coupled to the wastegate via a link mechanism. The link mechanism includes a link rod and a link arm. The longitudinal direction of the link rod in a state in which the bypass passage is fully closed is defined as a width direction of the link arm. The coupling center position in the link arm to which the link rod is coupled is located at a position offset in a direction in which the link rod moves to open the wastegate from a middle of the link arm in the width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2021
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kouji Nagai, Akitoshi Iwata, Akihiro Asano, Takayasu Ogasawara, Yasuko Inoue
  • Publication number: 20200173352
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing that has a bypass passage defined therein. The bypass passage connects a section of an exhaust passage on the upstream side of a turbine wheel to a section of the exhaust passage on the downstream side of the turbine wheel. A wastegate, which selectively opens and closes the bypass passage, is attached to the turbine housing. A valve seat for the wastegate is provided at an open edge of the bypass passage in the inner wall surface of the turbine housing. An abradable portion, which is a deformable portion, is adhered to the valve member of the wastegate. The abradable portion is configured to be deformed in accordance with the shape of the valve seat by contacting the valve seat when the bypass passage is shifted from the open state to the fully closed state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2019
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi IWATA, Osamu IGARASHI
  • Patent number: 10605115
    Abstract: A waste gate valve for a turbocharger includes a valve body including a valve plate and a valve shaft, a swing arm including a shaft and a lever, a supporting plate fixed to a portion of the valve shaft that protrudes from the lever, and an elastic member clamped between the supporting plate and the lever or between the lever and the valve plate. One of the supporting plate and the lever that clamp the elastic member or one of the lever and the valve plate that clamp the elastic member includes a protruding portion that is positioned closer to the valve shaft than the elastic member or farther from the valve shaft than the elastic member and that protrudes toward the other of the supporting plate and the lever or toward the other of the lever and the valve plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20200088062
    Abstract: A wastegate is attached to a turbine housing of a turbocharger. The wastegate opens and closes a bypass passage. An actuator is coupled to the wastegate via a link mechanism. The link mechanism includes a link rod and a link arm. The longitudinal direction of the link rod in a state in which the bypass passage is fully closed is defined as a width direction of the link arm. The coupling center position in the link arm to which the link rod is coupled is located at a position offset in a direction in which the link rod moves to open the wastegate from a middle of the link arm in the width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2019
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kouji NAGAI, Akitoshi IWATA, Akihiro ASANO, Takayasu OGASAWARA, Yasuko INOUE
  • Patent number: 10519851
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing and a wastegate. The turbine housing has an accommodation space, is which a turbine wheel is accommodated. The accommodation space is connected to a scroll passage, which draws exhaust gas from the outside of the turbine housing, and a connection passage, which discharges exhaust gas from the accommodation space. The connection passage is connected to a merging passage, which discharges exhaust gas to the outside of the turbine housing. The merging passage is connected to a bypass passage, which bypasses the accommodation space. The central axis of an outlet portion of the connection passage is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the turbine wheel toward the side on which an outlet portion of the bypass passage is located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi Iwata, Takashi Tsunooka
  • Patent number: 10422275
    Abstract: A wastegate valve device for a turbocharger includes a valve body, a swing arm configured to support the valve body, a rotating shaft to which the swing arm is fixed, a drive arm fixed to the rotating shaft, and a rod connected to the drive arm. The drive arm includes a fixed portion to which the rotating shaft is fixed, a first extension portion where the rod is connected, and a second extension portion extending on the opposite side of the first extension portion. The turbine housing is provided with a stopper with which the second extension portion abuts at the time when the valve body is distanced from the wastegate port due to a rotation of the rotating shaft in a valve-opening direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi Iwata, Takato Hatano
  • Publication number: 20190078507
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine housing and a wastegate. The turbine housing has an accommodation space, is which a turbine wheel is accommodated. The accommodation space is connected to a scroll passage, which draws exhaust gas from the outside of the turbine housing, and a connection passage, which discharges exhaust gas from the accommodation space. The connection passage is connected to a merging passage, which discharges exhaust gas to the outside of the turbine housing. The merging passage is connected to a bypass passage, which bypasses the accommodation space. The central axis of an outlet portion of the connection passage is inclined with respect to the rotation axis of the turbine wheel toward the side on which an outlet portion of the bypass passage is located.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2018
    Publication date: March 14, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi IWATA, Takashi TSUNOOKA
  • Patent number: 10197074
    Abstract: There is provided an actuator that can prevent a decrease in strength of a plate due to hydrolysis. The actuator is provided with a diaphragm which divides an inside of a casing into a negative pressure chamber and an atmospheric pressure chamber, a resin plate which is provided inside the negative pressure chamber to contact with the diaphragm, and an operating shaft having one side connected to the plate and the diaphragm and the other side extended outside the casing through the atmospheric pressure chamber, the operating shaft capable of being displaced in the axial direction according to the deformation of the diaphragm. The operating shaft penetrates through the diaphragm to connect to the plate inside the negative pressure chamber so that the plate is blocked from the atmospheric pressure chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2019
    Assignees: Taiho Kogyo Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kuninori Matsui, Akitoshi Iwata, Koichi Yonezawa
  • Patent number: 10082071
    Abstract: A supercharger includes a turbine housing, a bypass port, and a reinforcing member. The turbine housing includes a bypass passage allowing exhaust gas to flow by bypassing a turbine chamber. The bypass port is fixed to the turbine housing, and the waste gate valve is configured to abut against a first surface of the bypass port when the waste gate valve is closed. The reinforcing member is disposed at a part of the turbine housing that supports the bypass port. The reinforcing member is formed of a material higher in rigidity than a material constituting the turbine housing and is configured to abut against a second surface of the bypass port. The second surface is on a side opposite to the first surface of the bypass port. The reinforcing member extends from the second surface toward an outer side of the turbine housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20180258841
    Abstract: A wastegate valve device for a turbocharger includes a valve body, a swing arm configured to support the valve body, a rotating shaft to which the swing arm is fixed, a drive arm fixed to the rotating shaft, and a rod connected to the drive arm. The drive arm includes a fixed portion to which the rotating shaft is fixed, a first extension portion where the rod is connected, and a second extension portion extending on the opposite side of the first extension portion. The turbine housing is provided with a stopper with which the second extension portion abuts at the time when the valve body is distanced from the wastegate port due to a rotation of the rotating shaft in a valve-opening direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2018
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi IWATA, Takato HATANO
  • Publication number: 20180230848
    Abstract: A waste gate valve for a turbocharger includes a valve body including a valve plate and a valve shaft, a swing arm including a shaft and a lever, a supporting plate fixed to a portion of the valve shaft that protrudes from the lever, and an elastic member clamped between the supporting plate and the lever or between the lever and the valve plate. One of the supporting plate and the lever that clamp the elastic member or one of the lever and the valve plate that clamp the elastic member includes a protruding portion that is positioned closer to the valve shaft than the elastic member or farther from the valve shaft than the elastic member and that protrudes toward the other of the supporting plate and the lever or toward the other of the lever and the valve plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi IWATA
  • Patent number: 10024230
    Abstract: A controller for an engine system includes an exhaust-driven turbocharger including a compressor and a turbine, an exhaust gas recirculation unit configured to recirculate exhaust gas from a downstream portion of the turbine in an exhaust gas passage to an upstream portion of the compressor in an intake gas passage, and a cooling unit configured to cool the turbine, the controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to set a degree of cooling of the turbine based on a predetermined condition in which a gas temperature at an outlet portion of the compressor is higher than a predetermined temperature and the recirculating of exhaust gas is performed, and set a higher degree of cooling of the turbine when the predetermined condition is satisfied compared to a degree of cooling of the turbine when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20180163785
    Abstract: A turbocharger includes a turbine wheel, a shaft portion, and a bearing housing. The bearing housing has a drain passage and a drain groove. In a state where the turbocharger is mounted an internal combustion engine, a connecting portion at which the accommodation space is connected to the drain groove is provided in a fourth region located on a lower side with respect to a central axis of the accommodation space. Furthermore, an extension line of the drain groove and the central axis are skew lines. The extension line passes through a third region located on an upper side with respect to the central axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2017
    Publication date: June 14, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi IWATA, Osamu MAEDA, Masayuki TANADA
  • Publication number: 20170152871
    Abstract: There is provided an actuator that can prevent a decrease in strength of a plate due to hydrolysis. The actuator is provided with a diaphragm which divides an inside of a casing into a negative pressure chamber and an atmospheric pressure chamber, a resin plate which is provided inside the negative pressure chamber to contact with the diaphragm, and an operating shaft having one side connected to the plate and the diaphragm and the other side extended outside the casing through the atmospheric pressure chamber, the operating shaft capable of being displaced in the axial direction according to the deformation of the diaphragm. The operating shaft penetrates through the diaphragm to connect to the plate inside the negative pressure chamber so that the plate is blocked from the atmospheric pressure chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Publication date: June 1, 2017
    Applicants: TAIHO KOGYO CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kuninori MATSUI, Akitoshi IWATA, Koichi YONEZAWA
  • Publication number: 20160341110
    Abstract: A supercharger includes a turbine housing, a bypass port, and a reinforcing member. The turbine housing includes a bypass passage allowing exhaust gas to flow by bypassing a turbine chamber. The bypass port is fixed to the turbine housing, and the waste gate valve is configured to abut against a first surface of the bypass port when the waste gate valve is closed. The reinforcing member is disposed at a part of the turbine housing that supports the bypass port. The reinforcing member is formed of a material higher in rigidity than a material constituting the turbine housing and is configured to abut against a second surface of the bypass port. The second surface is on a side opposite to the first surface of the bypass port. The reinforcing member extends from the second surface toward an outer side of the turbine housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Publication date: November 24, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi IWATA
  • Publication number: 20160319732
    Abstract: A controller for an engine system includes an exhaust-driven turbocharger including a compressor and a turbine, an exhaust gas recirculation unit configured to recirculate exhaust gas from a downstream portion of the turbine in an exhaust gas passage to an upstream portion of the compressor in an intake gas passage, and a cooling unit configured to cool the turbine, the controller includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit is configured to set a degree of cooling of the turbine based on a predetermined condition in which a gas temperature at an outlet portion of the compressor is higher than a predetermined temperature and the recirculating of exhaust gas is performed, and set a higher degree of cooling of the turbine when the predetermined condition is satisfied compared to a degree of cooling of the turbine when the predetermined condition is not satisfied.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2014
    Publication date: November 3, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi IWATA
  • Patent number: 9194308
    Abstract: A control apparatus is applied to an internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine includes a turbocharger; an exhaust gas purifying catalyst which is arranged at a section downstream of a turbine in the exhaust passage; and a low pressure EGR passage which connects a section downstream of the exhaust gas purifying device in the exhaust passage and a section upstream of a compressor in the intake passage. The compressor is provided with a movable vane mechanism capable of varying throttled quantity of a flow passage of intake gas by moving diffuser vanes. The control apparatus controls the movable vane mechanism so that the throttled quantity of the flow passage is decreased when the exhaust gas is led to the compressor via the low pressure EGR passage as compared with a case when the exhaust gas is not led to the compressor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akitoshi Iwata, Masakazu Tabata
  • Patent number: 8689552
    Abstract: A centrifugal compressor is provided with: a housing which houses a compressor wheel therein; a spiral scroll arranged in an outer periphery of the compressor wheel; and a diffuser portion provided as a path space communicating with the scroll from an outlet side of the compressor wheel and formed by a compressor housing and a center housing. The centrifugal compressor is also provided with a movable vane which is movable between a projecting position where the movable vane projects from the compressor housing and a housing position where the movable vane houses in a housing portion provided in compressor housing, and an actuator which drives the movable vane between the projecting position and the housing position. The actuator is provided in the center housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Akitoshi Iwata
  • Publication number: 20130255648
    Abstract: An apparatus for controlling an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine provided with: a supercharger provided with a turbine disposed on an exhaust passage, having an exhaust-side variable vane mechanism capable of adjusting exhaust pressure in accordance with its opening/closing state, and a compressor disposed on an intake passage, having an intake-side vane mechanism in a diffuser part of the compressor, capable of adjusting an air flow quantity in accordance with its opening/closing state; and a detecting device capable of detecting actual supercharging pressure of the supercharger on a downstream side of the compressor, is provided with: a controller which is configured to specify a time transition of the detected actual supercharging pressure in a period in which a change speed of target supercharging pressure of the supercharger is greater than or equal to a predetermined value and determine abnormality of at least one of the turbine and the compressor on the basis of the specified
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2010
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kosuke Yamamoto, Akitoshi Iwata