Patents by Inventor Daichi Imai

Daichi Imai 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: 20180209321
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system for an internal combustion engine provided with an SOX storing and releasing catalyst and a particulate filter arranged downstream of the SOX storing and releasing catalyst. SOX release processing is performed for releasing SOX stored in the SOX storing and releasing catalyst. The SOX released by the SOX release processing is supplied to the particulate filter. The larger a time integral showing a sum of products of a temperature of the particulate filter and a time during which it is maintained at that temperature from when SOX release processing was performed, or the greater the number of times the filter regeneration processing is performed, the greater the concentration of SOX released by the SOX release processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Daichi IMAI
  • Patent number: 9988962
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control system of an internal combustion engine may include a filter, a temperature raising device, a differential pressure detecting device, and an electronic control unit. The filter may include a first region as a part of the filter, and a second region as another part of the filter. The electronic control unit may be configured to calculate a first deposition amount such that a calculated deposition amount is larger as a proportion of a magnitude of the first differential pressure reduction amount to the length of the first oxidation period is larger. The electronic control unit may be configured to calculate an amount of the particulate matter deposited in the second region based on a length of the second oxidation period and a second differential pressure reduction amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daichi Imai, Hiromasa Nishioka, Kiyoshi Fujiwara, Yoshio Yamashita
  • Patent number: 9988960
    Abstract: An estimated trapped amount (PM) that is an estimated value of an amount of particulate matter that is trapped in a particulate filter arranged in an engine exhaust passage is calculated based on an engine operating state, and PM removal control is performed when the estimated trapped amount exceeds an upper limit amount. Reference temperature increase control is performed to remove the particulate matter from the particulate filter, and an actual temperature that is the temperature of the particulate filter while the reference temperature increase control is being performed is detected. A reference temperature that is the temperature of the particulate filter when it is assumed that the reference temperature increase control has been performed when the amount of particulate matter trapped in the particulate filter is a reference initial trapped amount is stored in advance. The estimated trapped amount is corrected based on the actual temperature and the reference temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Tsukamoto, Kazuhiro Itoh, Hiromasa Nishioka, Daichi Imai, Hiroshi Ohtsuki, Yasumasa Notake
  • Patent number: 9879585
    Abstract: Micropore zones ZMI are defined at upstream sides of partition walls 72 of a particulate filter and macropore zones ZMA are defined at downstream sides of partition walls. The pore size of the partition walls at the micropore zones is set so that the particulate matter and the ash can be trapped by the partition walls at the micropore zones, while the pore size of the partition walls at the macropore zones is set so that the ash can pass through the partition walls at the macropore zones. When a quantity of trapped particulate matter is smaller than a limit quantity, control for increasing gas which temporarily increases the flow rate of the gas which flows into the particulate filter in order to remove the ash from the particulate filter, is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoshihisa Tsukamoto, Kazuhiro Itoh, Hiromasa Nishioka, Daichi Imai, Hiroshi Otsuki, Yasumasa Notake
  • Patent number: 9840954
    Abstract: An exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided with an NOx adsorbent for adsorbing NOx in exhaust gas and an NOx purifying catalyst for purifying NOx in exhaust gas, which are arranged in an engine exhaust passage. An electric heater is provided for raising the temperature of the NOx adsorbent. When a signal requesting startup of an internal combustion engine is issued, the device starts to supply electric power to the electric heater before the internal combustion engine completely warms up, and supplies the electric heater with a quantity of electric power making the temperature of the NOx adsorbent equal to or higher than the moisture desorption temperature but lower than the NOx desorption temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Nishioka, Kazuhiro Ito, Yoshihisa Tsukamoto, Hiroshi Otsuki, Yasumasa Notake, Daichi Imai, Ryota Koutake
  • Patent number: 9790828
    Abstract: The risk of a particulate filter from being damaged is reduced while an increase in pressure loss of the particulate filter due to ash is suppressed. Micropore zones are defined at upstream sides of partition walls of a particulate filter and macropore zones are defined at downstream sides of partition walls. The pore size of the partition walls at the micropore zones is set so that the particulate matter and the ash can be trapped by the partition walls at the micropore zones, while the pore size of the partition walls at the macropore zones is set so that the ash can pass through the partition walls at the macropore zones. When the difference dQPM between the quantity of the particulate matter which is trapped at the micropore zones and the quantity of particulate matter which is trapped at the macropore zones exceeds a predetermined threshold value, PM removal control is executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daichi Imai, Kazuhiro Itou, Hiromasa Nishioka
  • Patent number: 9718026
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purification filter that is suitable for arrangement in an exhaust passage of an internal combustion engine and for collecting particulate matter contained in exhaust gas, comprises: exhaust gas inflow passages and exhaust gas outflow passages that are arranged alternately; and porous partitions that separate the exhaust gas inflow passages and the exhaust gas outflow passages from each other. Each of the partitions is divided into a coated zone in which a surface of a partition base is coated with a coating layer having a smaller average pore diameter than an average pore diameter of the partition base and a non-coated zone that is located on a downstream side of the coated zone and in which a surface of the partition base is not coated with the coating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Otsuki, Hiromasa Nishioka, Yoshihisa Tsukamoto, Daichi Imai, Kazuhiro Itoh, Ryota Koutake
  • Publication number: 20170211451
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control system for an internal combustion engine, before execution of a filter regeneration process, executes a pre-regeneration process that is a process of raising a temperature of a filter to a second target temperature lower than a first target temperature and increasing the concentration of NO2 contained in exhaust gas flowing into the filter for a predetermined period. An execution time of the filter regeneration process when a physical quantity that correlates with a speed of change in a detected value of a differential pressure sensor during execution of the pre-regeneration process is large is shorter than an execution time of the filter regeneration process when the physical quantity is small.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daichi IMAI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Kiyoshi FUJIWARA, Yoshio YAMASHITA, Kouta TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20170211452
    Abstract: An exhaust gas control system for an internal combustion engine, before execution of a filter regeneration process, executes a pre-regeneration process that is a process of raising a temperature of a filter to a second target temperature lower than a first target temperature and increasing the concentration of NO2 contained in exhaust gas flowing into the filter for a predetermined period. The first target temperature during execution of the filter regeneration process in the case where a speed of change in a detected value of a differential pressure sensor during execution of the pre-regeneration process is high is set so as to be lower than the first target temperature in the case where the speed of change is low.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: July 27, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daichi IMAI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Kiyoshi FUJIWARA, Yoshio YAMASHITA, Kouta TANAKA
  • Publication number: 20170204763
    Abstract: An exhaust purification system including a particulate filter , a selective reduction catalyst provided at a downstream side from the filter, an ammonia ingredient feed device which feeds an ammonia ingredient to the selective reduction catalyst, a control device which controls the amount of the ammonia ingredient which is adsorbed at the selective reduction catalyst to become a target adsorption amount, and a filter regeneration system which performs filter regeneration processing to remove PM which has built up on the particulate filter when an execution start condition stands. When removal of PM is demanded, so long as the execution start condition of the filter regeneration processing by the filter regeneration system does not stand, the target adsorption amount is decreased a plurality of times in stages, and the execution start condition of the filter regeneration processing is changed to a different condition at each stage of the target adsorption amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 20, 2017
    Applicants: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiromasa Nishioka, Kazuhiro Ito, Daichi Imai, Yoshihisa Tsukamoto, Hiroshi Otsuki, Yasumasa Notake
  • Patent number: 9689296
    Abstract: A particulate filter arranged in an engine exhaust passage is provided with alternately arranged exhaust gas inflow and outflow passages and porous partition walls separating these passages from each other. In each partition wall, a coated zone where a coated layer with an average pore size smaller than that of a partition wall substrate is used to cover the substrate surface and a non-coated zone downstream of the coated zone where the substrate surface is not covered by the coated layer are defined, and the ash in the exhaust gas can pass through the partition wall in the non-coated zone. The quantity of particulate matter trapped at the non-coated zones is calculated, and PM removal control for removing particulate matter from the particulate filter is performed when it is judged that the quantity of trapped particulate matter is greater than an allowable upper limit amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Nishioka, Kazuhiro Itoh, Daichi Imai, Ryota Koutake
  • Patent number: 9677442
    Abstract: A concentration of sulfur components contained in fuel is determined, without adding any special sensor for determining the sulfur concentration of the fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa Nishioka, Daichi Imai
  • Publication number: 20170157602
    Abstract: A gel which contains a component of a catalyst is prepared. The gel and another gel are arranged in layers at a position which faces open ends of exhaust flow passages of a wall flow-type particulate filter. Next, a pusher is used to push and pack the gel and other gel through the open ends to the insides of the exhaust flow passages. Next, the particulate filter is made to dry to thereby make the partition walls carry the catalyst on their surfaces or in their micropores.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: June 8, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi OTSUKI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Kazuhiro ITO, Daichi IMAI, Yoshihisa TSUKAMOTO, Yasumasa NOTAKE
  • Publication number: 20170138235
    Abstract: An estimated trapped amount (PM) that is an estimated value of an amount of particulate matter that is trapped in a particulate filter arranged in an engine exhaust passage is calculated based on an engine operating state, and PM removal control is performed when the estimated trapped amount exceeds an upper limit amount. Reference temperature increase control is performed to remove the particulate matter from the particulate filter, and an actual temperature that is the temperature of the particulate filter while the reference temperature increase control is being performed is detected. A reference temperature that is the temperature of the particulate filter when it is assumed that the reference temperature increase control has been performed when the amount of particulate matter trapped in the particulate filter is a reference initial trapped amount is stored in advance. The estimated trapped amount is corrected based on the actual temperature and the reference temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Publication date: May 18, 2017
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihisa TSUKAMOTO, Kazuhiro ITOH, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Daichi IMAI, Hiroshi OHTSUKI, Yasumasa NOTAKE
  • Publication number: 20160298511
    Abstract: The risk of a particulate filter from being damaged is reduced while an increase in pressure loss of the particulate filter due to ash is suppressed. Micropore zones are defined at upstream sides of partition walls of a particulate filter and macropore zones are defined at downstream sides of partition walls. The pore size of the partition walls at the micropore zones is set so that the particulate matter and the ash can be trapped by the partition walls at the micropore zones, while the pore size of the partition walls at the macropore zones is set so that the ash can pass through the partition walls at the macropore zones. When the difference dQPM between the quantity of the particulate matter which is trapped at the micropore zones and the quantity of particulate matter which is trapped at the macropore zones exceeds a predetermined threshold value, PM removal control is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Publication date: October 13, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daichi IMAI, Kazuhiro ITOU, Hiromasa NISHIOKA
  • Publication number: 20160281565
    Abstract: An exhaust purification device for an internal combustion engine is provided with an NOx adsorbent for adsorbing NOx in exhaust gas and an NOx purifying catalyst for purifying NOx in exhaust gas, which are arranged in an engine exhaust passage. An electric heater is provided for raising the temperature of the NOx adsorbent. When a signal requesting startup of an internal combustion engine is issued, the device starts to supply electric power to the electric heater before the internal combustion engine completely warms up, and supplies the electric heater with a quantity of electric power making the temperature of the NOx adsorbent equal to or higher than the moisture desorption temperature but lower than the NOx desorption temperature.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Kazuhiro ITO, Yoshihisa TSUKAMOTO, Hiroshi OTSUKI, Yasumasa NOTAKE, Daichi IMAI, Ryota KOUTAKE
  • Publication number: 20160273436
    Abstract: An exhaust emission control system of an internal combustion engine may include a filter, a temperature raising device, a differential pressure detecting device, and an electronic control unit. The filter may include a first region as a part of the filter, and a second region as another part of the filter. The electronic control unit may be configured to calculate a first deposition amount such that a calculated deposition amount is larger as a proportion of a magnitude of the first differential pressure reduction amount to the length of the first oxidation period is larger. The electronic control unit may be configured to calculate an amount of the particulate matter deposited in the second region based on a length of the second oxidation period and a second differential pressure reduction amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Daichi IMAI, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Kiyoshi FUJIWARA, Yoshio YAMASHITA
  • Publication number: 20160265411
    Abstract: Micropore zones ZMI are defined at upstream sides of partition walls 72 of a particulate filter and macropore zones ZMA are defined at downstream sides of partition walls. The pore size of the partition walls at the micropore zones is set so that the particulate matter and the ash can be trapped by the partition walls at the micropore zones, while the pore size of the partition walls at the macropore zones is set so that the ash can pass through the partition walls at the macropore zones. When a quantity of trapped particulate matter is smaller than a limit quantity, control for increasing gas which temporarily increases the flow rate of the gas which flows into the particulate filter in order to remove the ash from the particulate filter, is performed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 15, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshihisa TSUKAMOTO, Kazuhiro ITOH, Hiromasa NISHIOKA, Daichi IMAI, Hiroshi OTSUKI, Yasumasa NOTAKE
  • Patent number: 9421535
    Abstract: An exhaust gas purifying catalyst includes: a support that contains at least one element that is selected from the first group that consists of Al, Zr and Ce, at least one element that is selected from the second group that consists of Ag, Mn, Co, Cu and Fe, and Ti; and particles that are composed of a metal or oxide of at least one element that is selected from the third group that consists of Ag, Mn, Co, Cu and Fe and that are deposited on the support. Seventy percent or more of any plurality of measurement points with a diameter of 2 nm on a surface of the support are composed of a composite part that has the at least one element selected from the second group content of 0.5 to 10 mol % and has a Ti content of 0.3 mol % or greater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Tanaka, Tsuyoshi Hamaguchi, Takanori Murasaki, Masao Watanabe, Daichi Imai
  • Patent number: 9394816
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to suppress deposition of ash in a wall-flow particulate filter while curtailing drops in a trapping rate of PM. To attain the above object, the invention provides a wall-flow particulate filter delimited by porous partition walls having pores of a size that allows ash and ash aggregates to pass therethrough. In the filter, a coat layer having pores smaller than the pores of the partition walls is provided, at a region of the partition walls, from an upstream end thereof up to a position before a downstream end thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shigeki Nakayama, Hiromasa Nishioka, Daichi Imai, Hiroshi Otsuki