Patents by Inventor Eiji Ikuta

Eiji Ikuta 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: 20200049043
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes a fuel introduction process of introducing an air-fuel mixture containing fuel injected by a fuel injection valve into an exhaust passage without burning the air-fuel mixture in a cylinder. The fuel introduction processor is configured to perform, during the execution of the fuel introduction process, a determination process of determining whether afterfire, in which the air-fuel mixture burns at an upstream side of a three-way catalyst device in the exhaust passage, has occurred and a stopping process of stopping the fuel introduction process when determining in the determination process that the afterfire has occurred.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2019
    Publication date: February 13, 2020
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki NOSE, Yuto IKEDA, Hirofumi HASHINOKUCHI, Tatsuaki SUZUKI, Eiji IKUTA, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Hirokazu ANDO
  • Patent number: 10550788
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute a dither control process, a purge control process, and a limiting process. The dither control process operates the fuel injection valves such that at least one of the cylinders is a lean combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and at least another one of the cylinders is a rich combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The purge control process controls the purge flow rate by operating the adjustment device. The limiting process limits the purge control process such that, when the dither control process is being executed, the purge flow rate is reduced as compared to a case in which the dither control process is not being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2020
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Keiichi Myojo, Yuki Nose, Eiji Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10450982
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit configured to determine whether or not cylinder-specific air-fuel ratio processing is being executed in which an air-fuel ratio of at least one of a plurality of cylinders is controlled to be a rich air-fuel ratio and an air-fuel ratio of at least one of the other cylinders is controlled to be a lean air-fuel ratio. The electronic control unit updates a first learning value in which a result of comparison between a knock strength of the internal combustion engine and a first determination value is reflected when the cylinder-specific air-fuel ratio processing is not being executed. The electronic control unit prohibits updating of the first learning value and calculates a target ignition timing of the internal combustion engine based on the first learning value when the cylinder-specific air-fuel ratio processing is being executed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Keiichi Myojo, Misako Ban, Yuki Nose, Eiji Ikuta, Norihito Hanai
  • Patent number: 10443520
    Abstract: A control apparatus for an internal combustion engine includes an ECU configured to: determine whether a temperature-increasing process is being executed; calculate a target value of a parameter correlated with a difference between a rich air-fuel ratio and a lean air-fuel ratio achieved in the temperature-increasing process, based on an operating state of the internal combustion engine; calculate, as an upper limit, a value of the parameter required to increase the temperature of the catalyst to a predetermined upper limit temperature; determine whether the target value is equal to or lower than the upper limit; adjust the parameter used in the temperature-increasing process to the target value when the target value is determined to be equal to or lower than the upper limit; and adjust the parameter used in the temperature-increasing process to the upper limit when the target value is determined to be higher than the upper limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Keiichi Myojo, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10378471
    Abstract: A control for an internal combustion engine makes an air-fuel ratio in at least one of a plurality of cylinders equal to a rich air-fuel ratio smaller than a theoretical air-fuel ratio, makes an air-fuel ratio in each of the other remaining ones of the plurality of the cylinders equal to a lean air-fuel ratio larger than the theoretical air-fuel ratio, executes a temperature raising process for raising a temperature of a catalyst that purifies exhaust gas from the plurality of the cylinders, executes a detection process for detecting a degree of dispersion of the air-fuel ratio among the plurality of the cylinders, and executes a determination process for determining, based on the detected degree of dispersion, whether or not a plurality of fuel injection valves corresponding to the plurality of the cylinders respectively are normal, and executes the detection process while avoiding a period of the temperature raising process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Yuki Nose, Eiji Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10337437
    Abstract: An abnormality diagnosis device for an engine includes an electronic control unit configured to execute temperature rise processing by controlling an air-fuel ratio of at least one of a plurality of cylinders to be a rich air-fuel ratio and controlling an air-fuel ratio of each of the other cylinders to be a lean air-fuel ratio. The electronic control unit is configured to determine whether or not the execution of the temperature rise processing is ongoing, to execute abnormality determination processing to determine whether or not the engine is in an abnormal state, to execute the abnormality determination processing based on whether or not the variation degree during stop of the temperature rise processing exceeds a first determination value, and to execute the abnormality determination processing based on whether or not the variation degree during the execution of the temperature rise processing exceeds a second determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Yuki Nose, Eiji Ikuta
  • Patent number: 10294881
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine, The ignition timing in a rich-cylinder is corrected toward a retardation side from a theoretical-MBT such that the torque generated in the rich-cylinder exceeds a torque generated in the rich-cylinder at the theoretical-MBT, and the ignition timing in a lean-cylinder is corrected toward an advancement side from the theoretical-MBT such that the torque generated in the lean-cylinder exceeds a torque generated in the lean-cylinder at the theoretical-MBT, when a temperature raising process is being executed, and the ignition timing in the rich-cylinder is corrected further toward the retardation side such that the torque generated in the rich-cylinder becomes equal to or smaller than a maximum theoretical generated torque and equal to or larger than the torque generated in the lean-cylinder at the theoretical-MBT, when the temperature raising process is being executed and the engine is in a low-load operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta, Keiichi Myojo
  • Publication number: 20190136777
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to execute a dither control process under a condition in which a request for executing a regeneration process of a filter is made. The processing circuitry is further configured to execute a fuel cutting process stopping fuel injection performed by fuel injection valves under a condition in which an accelerator operation amount is zero and a prohibition process prohibiting the fuel cutting process under a condition in which the dither control process is executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyuki TANAKA, Yuki NOSE, Masaaki KOBAYASHI, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Eiji IKUTA, Misako BAN
  • Publication number: 20190128198
    Abstract: A CPU operates a purge valve to control the amount of fuel vapor that flows into an intake passage from a canister. If there is a requirement for increasing the temperature of a three-way catalyst, the CPU executes dither control in which the air-fuel ratio of one of cylinders #1 to #4 is made richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and the air-fuel ratio of the remaining cylinders is made leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The CPU executes the dither control and performs feedforward correction of the distribution variation of the fuel vapor to the cylinders #1 to #4 if the amount of fuel vapor from the canister to the intake passage is greater than zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Misako BAN, Keiichi MYOJO, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Yuki NOSE, Eiji IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20190107070
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes processing circuitry configured to execute: a dither control process of operating fuel injection valves to designate at least one of cylinders as a lean combustion cylinder, in which an air-fuel ratio is leaner than a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and to designate at least another one of the cylinders as a rich combustion cylinder, in which an air-fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio; and an idle-time limiting process of causing an absolute value of a difference between the air-fuel ratio in the lean combustion cylinder and the air-fuel ratio in the rich combustion cylinder to be smaller when the internal combustion engine is idling than when the internal combustion engine is not idling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Eiji IKUTA, Yuki NOSE, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Keiichi MYOJO, Misako BAN
  • Publication number: 20190107068
    Abstract: A temperature estimation module applied to a control apparatus for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute a virtual temperature estimation process that estimates a virtual temperature, which is a temperature of an exhaust purifying device under an assumption that a dither control process is not executed, based on an operation point of the internal combustion engine during execution of the dither control process. The temperature estimation module is further configured to execute an actual temperature estimation process that estimates an actual temperature of the exhaust purifying device based on a difference between the air-fuel ratio of a rich combustion cylinder and the air-fuel ratio of a lean combustion cylinder and based on the operation point of the internal combustion engine during execution of the dither control process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2018
    Publication date: April 11, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki NOSE, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Eiji IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20190101073
    Abstract: When a purge valve opens, a CPU calculates a purge concentration learning value based on an air-fuel ratio detected by an air-fuel ratio sensor. Additionally, under the condition that a temperature increase request of a three-way catalyst is generated, the CPU performs dither control that sets one of a plurality of cylinders as a rich combustion cylinder, which is richer than a theoretical air-fuel ratio, and the remaining cylinders as lean combustion cylinders, which are leaner than the theoretical air-fuel ratio. When the dither control is performed, the CPU forbids the update of the purge concentration learning value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2018
    Publication date: April 4, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Misako BAN, Keiichi MYOJO, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Yuki NOSE, Eiji IKUTA
  • Patent number: 10247114
    Abstract: In the exhaust gas control system, the electronic control unit is configured to execute first air-fuel ratio control for controlling an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in a part of cylinders to a lean air-fuel ratio and controlling an air-fuel ratio of an air-fuel mixture in the other part of the cylinders to a rich air-fuel ratio is executed. The electronic control unit is configured to execute second air-fuel ratio control to perform malfunction diagnosis. The electronic control unit is configured to execute second air-fuel ratio control when the execution of the first air-fuel ratio control is interrupted after the temperature of the three-way catalyst becomes equal to or higher than the diagnosis temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Nakamura, Keiichi Myojo, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Noriyasu Kobashi, Yuki Nose, Eiji Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20190093532
    Abstract: In a dither control process of a fuel injection valve, one of a number of cylinders is set as a rich combustion cylinder and another one of the cylinders is set as a lean combustion cylinder. The temperature raising capability required for the dither control process in the second mode is higher than the temperature raising capability in the first mode. A time integration value is obtained by integrating an absolute value of a difference between an air-fuel ratio of the rich combustion cylinder and an air-fuel ratio of the lean combustion cylinder over a predetermined period. In an enlarging process, a time integration value of the second mode is set to be greater than a time integration value of the first mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichi MYOJO, Yuki NOSE, Eiji IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20190093580
    Abstract: A controller is configured to execute a dither control process of operating fuel injection valves such that at least one of cylinders is a lean combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and at least another one of the cylinders is a rich combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and a limiting process of limiting the dither control process such that the difference in the air-fuel ratio between the cylinders is smaller in a change period, in which a gear ratio of the multi-speed transmission is changed, than in periods except for the change period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: March 28, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta, Misako Ban, Keiichi Myojo
  • Publication number: 20190048818
    Abstract: A controller includes an air-fuel ratio control unit that calculates an air-fuel ratio F/B correction value and an air-fuel ratio learning value and corrects an amount of fuel supplied to each cylinder based on the air-fuel ratio F/B correction value FAF and the air-fuel ratio learning value KG. The controller further includes a dither control unit that executes dither control to adjust the amount of fuel supplied to each cylinder, corrected by the air-fuel ratio control unit, so that at least one of the cylinders is set to a rich combustion cylinder and at least a further one of the cylinders is set to a lean combustion cylinder. When the dither control is executed, the air-fuel ratio control unit prohibits execution of air-fuel ratio learning control and executes air-fuel ratio feedback control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tatsuaki SUZUKI, Yuki NOSE, Keiichi MYOJO, Yoshiyuki SHOGENJI, Eiji IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20190048816
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes a processing circuit that performs a dither control process on condition that a temperature increase request of a catalyst is made. The processing circuit operates fuel injection valves so that during the dither control process, one or more cylinders are lean combustion cylinders in a first period and another one or more cylinders are rich combustion cylinders and so that the average value of an exhaust gas-fuel ratio is a target air-fuel ratio in a second period including the first period. The dither control process is restricted in a manner that, on condition that the rich process is performed, the degree of richening of the richest exhaust gas-fuel ratio of exhaust gas-fuel ratios in the cylinders is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Keiichi Myojo, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20190048815
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine includes processing circuitry that performs a dither control process on condition that a temperature increase request of a catalyst is made. The processing circuitry operates fuel injection valves so that during the dither control process, one or more cylinders are lean combustion cylinders in a first period and another one or more cylinders are rich combustion cylinders and so that the average value of an exhaust gas-fuel ratio is a target air-fuel ratio in a second period including the first period. The dither control process is restricted in a manner that, on condition that the rich process is performed, the degree of richening of the richest exhaust gas-fuel ratio of exhaust gas-fuel ratios in the cylinders is reduced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: February 14, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichi MYOJO, Yuki NOSE, Eiji IKUTA
  • Publication number: 20190024596
    Abstract: A control device for an internal combustion engine includes an electronic control unit configured to perform dither control processing for controlling the fuel injection valve based on a requested injection amount such that a part of cylinders among a plurality of cylinders becomes a lean combustion cylinder and cylinders different from the part of cylinders among the cylinders become a rich combustion cylinder, and restriction processing for, in a case where the requested injection amount is equal to or greater than a first injection amount, making no restriction on the dither control processing, and in a case where the requested injection amount is within a second injection amount range of an injection amount smaller than the first injection amount, restricting the dither control processing to a side where a leaning degree of an air-fuel ratio of a cylinder having a leanest air-fuel ratio among the cylinders decreases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuki Nose, Keiichi Myojo, Yoshiyuki Shogenji, Eiji Ikuta
  • Publication number: 20190024603
    Abstract: A controller for an internal combustion engine is configured to execute a dither control process, a purge control process, and a limiting process. The dither control process operates the fuel injection valves such that at least one of the cylinders is a lean combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is leaner than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio, and at least another one of the cylinders is a rich combustion cylinder, in which the air-fuel ratio is richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio. The purge control process controls the purge flow rate by operating the adjustment device. The limiting process limits the purge control process such that, when the dither control process is being executed, the purge flow rate is reduced as compared to a case in which the dither control process is not being executed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2018
    Publication date: January 24, 2019
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Keiichi MYOJO, Yuki NOSE, Eiji IKUTA