Patents by Inventor Atsushi Tabata

Atsushi Tabata 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).

  • Publication number: 20150217645
    Abstract: In an electric vehicle, an automatic transmission is provided between a differential unit and drive wheels. The differential unit includes a motor-generator and a power split device, and the motor-generator is cooled by lubricant of the automatic transmission. A battery charger is operable to charge a power storage device using a power supply outside the vehicle. When the temperature of the lubricant is lower than a predetermined temperature upon execution of charging of the power storage device using the charger, and the automatic transmission is in a neutral state, or a power cutting-off state, the controller rotates the motor-generator of the differential unit so as to perform warming control for raising the temperature of the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya IMAMURA, Tooru MATSUBARA, Kenta KUMAZAKI, Takeshi KITAHATA, Yasuhiro HIASA, Atsushi TABATA
  • Publication number: 20150211620
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle driving device includes: a first differential mechanism connected to an engine and transmitting a rotation of the engine; a second differential mechanism connecting the first differential mechanism and a drive wheel; engagement devices changing a speed of the first differential mechanism; and a valve arranged in a hydraulic circuit and regulating the engagement devices from simultaneously engaging. The second differential mechanism includes a first rotation element connected to an output element of the first differential mechanism, a second rotation element connected to a first rotating machine, and a third rotation element connected to a second rotating machine and the drive wheel. The valve regulates the engagement devices from simultaneously engaging at a time of traveling with the engine, and tolerates the engagement devices from simultaneously engaging at a time of traveling with the first rotating machine and the second rotating machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura, Takeshi Kitahata, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Atsushi Tabata
  • Patent number: 9090247
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a drive system of a vehicle, provided with a transmission, and an electric motor operable to change an operating speed of the engine during the process of shifting of the transmission. The control apparatus controls a discrete change of the operating speed of said engine, with at least one of torques assigned to be respectively generated by said engine and said electric motor in a discrete shifting operation of the transmission mechanism which is performed in response to an operation of an operator of the vehicle and in which the discrete change of the operating speed of said engine takes place, includes a torque assignment determining portion configured to determine a percentage of the torque assigned to said engine in said discrete shifting operation such that the percentage increases with an increase of an amount of change of the operating speed of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunya Kato, Tooru Matsubara, Kenta Kumazaki, Atsushi Tabata, Yasuhiro Hiasa
  • Publication number: 20150197244
    Abstract: A power transmission device for a hybrid vehicle includes a transmission device that includes a carrier to which an engine rotation shaft is connected; a differential device that includes a plurality of rotation components individually connected to a ring gear of the transmission device, an MG1 rotation shaft, an MG2 rotation shaft, and a drive wheel; a gear shift adjustment device that includes an engagement portion capable of controlling the transmission device to a neutral state where transmission of power between the carrier and the ring gear is not allowed or to a state where the transmission of power is allowed; and an HVECU that includes a first step of decreasing a rotating speed of a first rotating electric machine at the time an engine is started up during an EV travel mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunya Kato, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Tooru Matsubara, Takeshi Kitahata, Kenta Kumazaki, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Hiroyuki Shioiri, Hiroyuki Shibata
  • Patent number: 9079484
    Abstract: It is provided a control device for a vehicle power transmission device including a shifting portion and an electric motor that provides regeneration via the shifting portion, the control device executing a downshift of the shifting portion if a traveling loss in the vehicle power transmission device after the shift is smaller than a traveling loss in the vehicle power transmission device at a current gear ratio during regenerative traveling, and the traveling loss in the vehicle power transmission device including at least one of a loss in the shifting portion and a loss in the electric motor, the loss in the shifting portion being calculated based on the operating oil temperature of the shifting portion and the loss in the electric motor being calculated based on the temperature of the electric motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20150183422
    Abstract: A driving device for a hybrid vehicle includes a transmission unit configured to output a rotation of an engine while changing rotating speed of the engine; and a first rotating electric machine. The first rotating electric machine is configured to supply a torque for increasing the rotating speed of the engine at the time of starting up of the engine to the engine through the transmission unit. At the time of starting up of the engine, the gear shift stage of the transmission unit is switched to an overdrive state. Thus, a torque sufficient for starting up of the engine can be supplied to the engine, and hence the engine can be appropriately started up.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuya Imamura, Atsushi Tabata, Tooru Matsubara, Kenta Kumazaki, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Tsuyoshi Kitahata
  • Publication number: 20150183423
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle drive apparatus includes an engine, a transmission unit, and a differential unit. A dual-motor travel is possible by stopping the engine and driving a first rotating machine and a second rotating machine as a result of engaging a first engaging element and a second engaging element of the transmission unit. At a time of switching to a dual-motor travel, the hybrid vehicle drive apparatus executes a first control for carrying out a negative RPM control by the first rotating machine; a second control for engaging either one of a first engaging element and a second engaging element of the transmission unit; and a third control for engaging both of the first engaging element and the second engaging element of the transmission unit after the first control and the second control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 17, 2012
    Publication date: July 2, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masafumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Keita Imai
  • Patent number: 9067580
    Abstract: The control device of a vehicle drive device is configured to have an electric path and a mechanical path, to control an operating point of the engine by adjusting a torque of the first electric motor, to select a transmission path with better power transmission efficiency between a power transmission efficiency in a first transmission path transmitting the power of the engine toward the drive wheels by using both the power transmission via the electric path and the power transmission only via fluid in the hydraulic power transmission device in the mechanical path and a power transmission efficiency in a second transmission path transmitting the power of the engine toward the drive wheels through power transmission when the lockup clutch of the hydraulic power transmission device is driven to perform an engagement or slip operation in the mechanical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Publication number: 20150165891
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid vehicle driving device including: a first differential mechanism configured to be connected to an engine and transmit a rotation of the engine; a second differential mechanism configured to connect the first differential mechanism and a driving wheel; and a switching device configured to shift the first differential mechanism, wherein the second differential mechanism includes a first rotation component connected to an output component of the first differential mechanism, a second rotation component connected to the first rotation machine, and a third rotation component connected to the second rotation machine and the driving wheel, and a reaction torque of the first rotation machine is corrected at a torque phase (S2-Y) after a start of the gear shift operation of the first differential mechanism by the switching device while the vehicle travels by using the engine as a power source (S3).
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Tsuyoshi Kitahata, Yasuhiro Hiasa
  • Publication number: 20150166042
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle driving device includes: an engine; a rotation machine; and a transmission unit configured to connect and disconnect the engine and the rotation machine, wherein when the engine is stopped while a vehicle travels by using the engine as a power source, the engine is stopped by the rotation machine in a state in which the gear stage of the transmission unit is fixed, and then the transmission unit is set to a neutral state after the engine is stopped. It is desirable that the hybrid vehicle driving device stop the engine by the rotation machine in a state in which the corresponding relation between a rotation angle of the engine and a rotation angle of the rotation machine is already learned.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Publication date: June 18, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takeshi Kitahata, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Kenta Kumazaki, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Hiroyuki Shioiri, Hiroyuki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20150158481
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid drive unit for avoiding an overcharging and an over discharging of a battery when starting or stopping an engine. The control system selects a speed ratio where an amount of an electric power to be stored into the battery is large or to be discharged from the electric storage device is small if a state of charge of the battery is lower than a first threshold value (at step S4). The control system selects a speed ratio where an amount of an electric power to be discharged from the battery is large or to be stored into the battery is small if a state of charge of the electric storage device is higher than a second threshold value (at step S7).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2014
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Inventors: Yohsuke Tagawa, Shunya Kato, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Publication number: 20150151627
    Abstract: A power transmission device for a hybrid vehicle includes: a transmission device that includes a carrier to which an engine rotation shaft is connected; a differential device that includes a plurality of rotation components individually connected to a drive wheel, an MG2 rotation shaft, an MG1 rotation shaft, and a ring gear of the transmission device; a gear shift adjustment device that is able to control the transmission device to a neutral state where the transmission of power between the carrier and the ring gear is not allowed or to a state where the transmission of power is allowed; and an HVECU that includes a first step of controlling the transmission device to the neutral state in a state where the transmission of power between the carrier and the ring gear is allowed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: June 4, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shunya Kato, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura, Tooru Matsubara, Takeshi Kitahata, Kenta Kumazaki, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Hiroyuki Shioiri, Hiroyuki Shibata
  • Publication number: 20150142232
    Abstract: A control device of a hybrid vehicle includes an electric motor outputting a running torque at the time of motor running and a starting torque at engine start, in a state of the motor running using even the starting torque, the control device being configured to give a notification of the state to a driver when a charging capacity is smaller than a first predetermined value, and to start an engine when the charging capacity is smaller than a second predetermined value which is smaller than the first predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Tooru Matsubara, Koichi Okuda, Kenta Kumazaki, Tatsuya Imamura, Keita Imai, Takeshi Kitahata, Shunya Kato, Yasuhiro Hiasa
  • Patent number: 9005064
    Abstract: A vehicle using a first MG, a second MG, and an engine as drive sources includes an electric oil pump, a mechanical oil pump driven by power of the engine, and a hydraulic circuit. The hydraulic circuit includes first oil passages for supplying oil to the first MG, a second oil passage for supplying oil to the second MG, a switch-over valve capable of switching over states of communication of the first oil passage, and a switch control valve that outputs pilot hydraulic pressure to the switch-over valve. States of the switch-over valve are switched over in accordance with hydraulic pressure from the switch control valve and hydraulic pressure from the mechanical pump.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masafumi Yamamoto, Atsushi Tabata, Koichi Okuda, Keita Imai, Keisuke Omuro
  • Patent number: 8983696
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle includes an electric motor disposed in a manner enabling power transmission to wheels; and a clutch device capable of interrupting and connecting a power transmission path between the wheels and the electric motor, if temperature of the electric motor exceeds predetermined temperature defined in advance, the electric motor being rotated after the power transmission path between the wheels and the electric motor is interrupted by the clutch device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Yutaka Taga, Yasuyuki Ueno, Hideto Minekawa
  • Publication number: 20150072819
    Abstract: Provided is a hybrid vehicle driving apparatus including: a power transmission mechanism which is connected to an engine and is able to output a rotation of the engine while changing the rotation speed; a differential mechanism which connects the power transmission mechanism and a drive wheel to each other; and a regulation device, wherein the differential mechanism includes a first rotation component which is connected to an output component of the power transmission mechanism, a second rotation component which is connected to a first rotating electric machine, and a third rotation component which is connected to a second rotating electric machine and the drive wheel, and wherein the regulation device switches between a state where a differential operation of the differential mechanism is regulated and a state where the differential operation of the differential mechanism is allowed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Ono, Yuji Iwase, Makoto Funahashi, Atsushi Tabata, Tooru Matsubara, Tatsuya Imamura, Koichi Okuda, Hideaki Komada
  • Publication number: 20150046011
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle is configured to select motor running by one motor, motor running by two motors, and engine running. A charging capacity of an electric storage device allowing selection of the motor running by two motors is higher than a charging capacity allowing selection of the motor running by one motor. In the motor running by two motors and the engine running, a drive force larger than in the motor running by one motor is generated. When the motor running by one motor is performed with a charging capacity equal to or greater than a first threshold value, and a driver's drive request amount is increased, if the charging capacity is equal to or greater than a second threshold value higher than the first threshold value, the motor running by two motors is selected, while if the charging capacity is less than the second threshold value, the engine running is selected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Publication date: February 12, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keita Imai, Tatsuya Imamura, Kouichi Okuda, Tooru Matsubara, Takeshi Kitahata, Kenta Kumazaki, Yasuhiro Hiasa, Shunya Kato, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20150031488
    Abstract: A vehicle drive device comprising: an engine, a first electric motor, and a second electric motor disposed on a first axis; a first axis output portion outputting power of the first axis; a second axis input portion that is an input portion of a second axis to which power from the first axis output portion is input, the second axis being parallel to the first axis; a second axis output portion outputting power of the second axis; a transmission changing speed between the second axis input portion and the second axis output portion, the transmission being disposed on the second axis; and a third axis input portion that is an input portion of a third axis to which power from the second axis output portion is input, the third axis being parallel to the first axis, the first axis output portion, the second axis input portion, the second axis output portion, and the third axis input portion all being disposed between the first electric motor and the second electric motor in a direction of the first axis, the trans
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Publication date: January 29, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koichi Okuda, Makoto Funahashi, Atsushi Tabata, Keita Imai, Sho Mizushino
  • Patent number: 8939868
    Abstract: A control device of a vehicle drive device includes: a hydraulic power transmission device having a lockup clutch mechanically coupling an input-side rotating member to which power from an engine is input and an output-side rotating member outputting power to drive wheels; and an electric motor coupled to a power transmission path between the hydraulic power transmission device and the drive wheels. If regeneration braking of a vehicle is performed with the electric motor, an engagement force of the lockup clutch is made larger when a vehicle speed related value varying depending on a vehicle speed is higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenta Kumazaki, Tooru Matsubara, Atsushi Tabata, Tatsuya Imamura
  • Publication number: 20150021110
    Abstract: A driving device for a hybrid vehicle including a power transmission mechanism (10) that is connected to an engine (1) and transmits a rotation of the engine; a differential mechanism (20) that connects the power transmission mechanism to driving wheels (32); and a switching device (CL1, BK1) that performs speed change of the power transmission mechanism, wherein the differential mechanism includes a first rotary element (24) that is connected to an output element (13) of the power transmission mechanism, a second rotary element (21) that is connected to a first rotating electrical machine (MG1) and a third rotary element (23) that is connected to the second rotating electrical machine (MG2) and the driving wheels, and wherein the rotation of the output element of the power transmission mechanism is limited by the switching device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomohito Ono, Yuji Iwase, Makoto Funahashi, Atsushi Tabata, Tooru Matsubara, Tatsuya Imamura, Koichi Okuda, Hideaki Komada