Patents by Inventor Eijiro Shimabukuro
Eijiro Shimabukuro 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).
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Patent number: 8439799Abstract: A controller for automatic transmission that performs feedback control on a slip ratio of a lockup clutch is adapted to select one target slip ratio from a plurality of target slip ratios based on a detected automatic transmission fluid temperature of a torque converter. Thus, the controller can ensure good followability to a target value of the feedback control even when the automatic transmission fluid temperature is low. The controller can effectively prevent engine hunting and the associated vibrations of vehicle body. Therefore, the controller can accomplish a favorable slip control of the lockup clutch even if an operating range of the lockup clutch is expanded to a range where the automatic transmission fluid temperature is low.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2012Date of Patent: May 14, 2013Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Akio Muto, Fumio Egashira, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Osahide Miyamoto
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Patent number: 7222552Abstract: A controller for a transmission capable of preventing an occurrence of a gear squeak caused by a malfunction of a synchronization mechanism. The voltage determination section 24 performs a shift operation of a transmission by determining a control input Vin to a shift motor 13 so as to match an actual position Psc of a coupling sleeve 6 grasped by an actual position grasping section 21 with a target position Psc_cmd of the coupling sleeve 6 set by a target position setting section 22.Type: GrantFiled: April 18, 2005Date of Patent: May 29, 2007Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshikazu Kouno, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Yuji Yasui, Junya Tachikawa
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Patent number: 7120530Abstract: A low cost control apparatus of a contact mechanism resolving a disadvantage caused when a contact body is moved to make contact with a contacted body by an actuator. A synchronizing mechanism, which a coupling sleeve rotatably and integrally provided with an input shaft is pushed against a synchronizer ring disposed between the coupling sleeve and a synchronized gear, thereby synchronizing rotational speeds of both the components to engage them, is modeled as a collision between an inertia system object and an elastic system object. A computation coefficient (VPOLE, f in FIG. 9) of a switching function for sliding mode control having a deviation between an actual position of the coupling sleeve (Psc, d in FIG. 9) and a target position (Psc_cmd, e in FIG. 9) as a state variable is changed depending on the actual position (Psc), and thereby changing a control ability of the model against a disturbance.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2003Date of Patent: October 10, 2006Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
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Patent number: 7071638Abstract: An actuator control apparatus is provided, capable of causing a state value which changes according to the action of an actuator to match a prescribed target value. A synchronizing mechanism is modeled as the collision of an inertial system object and an elastic system object, and taking as a state amount the deviation between the actual position (Psc) of a coupling sleeve and the target position (Psc_cmd), a computation coefficient (VPOLE) of a switching function used in sliding mode control which takes the state amount as a variable is, in a first process until the coupling sleeve makes contact with a synchronizer ring, set according to the actual position (Psc) of the coupling sleeve, and in a process until the coupling sleeve engages a synchronized gear, is set such that the pressing force of the coupling sleeve matches a target pressing force.Type: GrantFiled: December 23, 2003Date of Patent: July 4, 2006Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
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Publication number: 20050230216Abstract: A controller for a transmission capable of preventing an occurrence of a gear squeak caused by a malfunction of a synchronization mechanism. The voltage determination section 24 performs a shift operation of a transmission by determining a control input Vin to a shift motor 13 so as to match an actual position Psc of a coupling sleeve 6 grasped by an actual position grasping section 21 with a target position Psc_cmd of the coupling sleeve 6 set by a target position setting section 22.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 18, 2005Publication date: October 20, 2005Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Toshikazu Kouno, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Yuji Yasui, Junya Tachikawa
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Patent number: 6878093Abstract: The power transmission mechanism reliably starts an internal combustion engine that is stopped during travel of a vehicle. While the internal combustion engine is stopped and the internal combustion engine and the transmission are disengaged by the main clutch, it is determined whether the mode is the EV travel mode, corresponding to the driving mode by the electric motor. In the case of the motor driving mode, and if the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, the engine is started in a neutral mode. If the vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined value, the engine is started in a standby mode. When starting in the standby mode, a gear set is selected based on the vehicle speed, and the input shaft and the output shaft are engaged.Type: GrantFiled: November 22, 2002Date of Patent: April 12, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Tatsuya Fukushima, Kazuaki Takizawa, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Katsuhiro Kitamura
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Patent number: 6845832Abstract: The present invention is made to operate auxiliary machine while an engine is stopped, to start an engine and to charge a battery by providing a single motor and a simple construction and by providing a simple control operation. An engine system comprises an engine, a motor, and auxiliary machine, and further comprises a planetary mechanism having three elements comprising a sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear, to which any one of an output shaft of the engine, an output shaft of the motor and a drive shaft of the auxiliary machine are respectively connected, a uniting connection device capable of uniting two or more elements of the planetary mechanism, and a rotation direction restriction device which restricts a rotation direction of the drive shaft of the auxiliary machine to one direction.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2002Date of Patent: January 25, 2005Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kazuaki Takizawa, Tatsuya Fukushima, Katsuya Minami, Masato Fujioka, Kazuo Ooyama, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Junya Tachikawa
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Patent number: 6823954Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle control system equipped with an internal combustion engine (10), an electric motor (14) connected to the engine through a hydraulic clutch (12) and an automatic transmission (16) connected to the motor to be inputted with an output torque outputted from the engine and the motor to transmit the same to driven wheels (24) of the vehicle, the output torque of the motor (TM) and supply of hydraulic pressure to the clutch (PCL) is increased until the determined speed difference (dN) is less than a threshold value (dN3) and then the output torque of the engine is reduced such that the engine speed (NE) is synchronized with the motor speed (NM) when the speed difference (dN) becomes less than the predetermined value (dN3), while increasing the supply of hydraulic pressure to a line pressure equivalent value. With this, it can effectively reduces shock at clutch engagement during switchover from electric motor-powered driving to internal combustion engine-powered driving.Type: GrantFiled: May 14, 2002Date of Patent: November 30, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Kazuaki Takizawa, Kenji Hagiwara
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Publication number: 20040145321Abstract: An actuator control apparatus is provided, capable of causing a state value which changes according to the action of an actuator to match a prescribed target value. A synchronizing mechanism is modeled as the collision of an inertial system object and an elastic system object, and taking as a state amount the deviation between the actual position (Psc) of a coupling sleeve and the target position (Psc_cmd), a computation coefficient (VPOLE) of a switching function used in sliding mode control which takes the state amount as a variable is, in a first process until the coupling sleeve makes contact with a synchronizer ring, set according to the actual position (Psc) of the coupling sleeve, and in a process until the coupling sleeve engages a synchronized gear, is set such that the pressing force of the coupling sleeve matches a target pressing force.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2003Publication date: July 29, 2004Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.Inventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
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Publication number: 20040138801Abstract: A low cost control apparatus of a contact mechanism resolving a disadvantage caused when a contact body is moved to make contact with a contacted body by an actuator. A synchronizing mechanism, which a coupling sleeve rotatably and integrally provided with an input shaft is pushed against a synchronizer ring disposed between the coupling sleeve and a synchronized gear, thereby synchronizing rotational speeds of both the components to engage them, is modeled as a collision between an inertia system object and an elastic system object. A computation coefficient (VPOLE, f in FIG. 9) of a switching function for sliding mode control having a deviation between an actual position of the coupling sleeve (Psc, d in FIG. 9) and a target position (Psc_cmd, e in FIG. 9) as a state variable is changed depending on the actual position (Psc), and thereby changing a control ability of the model against a disturbance.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 23, 2003Publication date: July 15, 2004Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTDInventors: Yuji Yasui, Kanako Shimojo, Eijiro Shimabukuro
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Patent number: 6715572Abstract: A hybrid vehicle comprises a torque converter TC, which is connected to an engine E, a gear-type speed change mechanism, shift clutches 13c and 14c, a drive power transmission system, which transmits output rotation to drive wheels 6, and a second motor generator 2, which can drive the drive wheels 6. A control system for this hybrid vehicle comprises a throttle controller TH and a shift control valve CV. When the drive mode is switched from motor-driven mode to engine-driven mode, the control system sets a target speed ratio and calculates a vehicle-speed corresponding rotational speed that would arise at the output shaft of the engine if the current rotation of the drive wheels were transmitted with this target speed ratio and through the torque converter with a speed ratio of 1.0. Then, the control system controls the rotation of the engine to bring the output rotational speed of the engine closer to the vehicle-speed corresponding rotational speed.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2002Date of Patent: April 6, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita
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Patent number: 6709363Abstract: A transmission unit is composed of an engine E, a torque converter TC, and an automatic transmission TM. The engine restart and vehicle start control apparatus comprises an electromagnetic valve capable of calculating the pump impeller suction torque of the torque converter and setting the oil pressure increase ratio for the oil pressure supplied to the vehicle start clutch. When the engine is restarted from an engine stopped state and the vehicle start stage is set by supplying hydraulic oil to a friction engagement element and engaging the friction engagement element, an oil pressure supply increasing at a first oil pressure increase ratio is conducted till the calculated pump impeller suction torque reaches the prescribed criterial value, and an oil pressure supply increasing at a second oil pressure increase ratio which is less than the first oil pressure increase ratio is conducted from the instant the calculated pump impeller suction torque becomes greater than the prescribed criterial value.Type: GrantFiled: June 4, 2002Date of Patent: March 23, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita
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Patent number: 6695744Abstract: A transmission comprises an engine, which is controllable to stop under a predetermined condition, and a speed change mechanism TM, which transmits the output rotation of the engine at different speed ratios. The speed change mechanism TM has a plurality of transmission paths (the LOW ratio, the SECOND speed ratio, etc.) disposed in parallel, a plurality of ratio-setting clutches (the LOW clutch 11, the SECOND speed clutch 12, etc.), each clutch for selecting a predetermined transmission path, and a speed change control system for selectively supplying a hydraulic pressure to any of the ratio-setting clutches to bring it into engagement. Engagement-initiation time is calculated for each ratio-setting clutch, so that the ratio-setting clutch requiring a minimum engagement-initiation time is selected as the clutch for the start-up speed ratio. When the engine is restarted from stopped state, this clutch for the start-up speed ratio is supplied with oil.Type: GrantFiled: June 7, 2002Date of Patent: February 24, 2004Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita, Takamichi Shimada
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Publication number: 20030104901Abstract: The present invention reliably starts an internal combustion engine that is stopped during travel of the vehicle. While the internal combustion engine is stopped and the internal combustion engine and the transmission are disengaged by the main clutch, it is determined whether the mode is the EV travel mode, corresponding to the driving mode by the electric motor. In the case of the motor driving mode, and if the vehicle speed is less than a predetermined value, the engine is started in neutral mode. If the vehicle speed is higher than a predetermined value, the engine is started in standby mode. When starting in the standby mode, a gear set is selected based on the vehicle speed, and the input shaft and the output shaft are engaged.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 22, 2002Publication date: June 5, 2003Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Tatsuya Fukushima, Kazuaki Takizawa, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Katsuhiro Kitamura
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Publication number: 20030094317Abstract: The present invention is made to operate auxiliary machine while an engine is stopped, to start an engine and to charge a battery by providing a single motor and a simple construction and by providing a simple control operation. An engine system comprises an engine, a motor, and auxiliary machine, and further comprises a planetary mechanism having three elements comprising a sun gear, a carrier and a ring gear, to which any one of an output shaft of the engine, an output shaft of the motor and a drive shaft of the auxiliary machine are respectively connected, a uniting connection device capable of uniting two or more elements of the planetary mechanism, and a rotation direction restriction device which restricts a rotation direction of the drive shaft of the auxiliary machine to one direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 18, 2002Publication date: May 22, 2003Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kazuaki Takizawa, Tatsuya Fukushima, Katsuya Minami, Masato Fujioka, Kazuo Ooyama, Eijiro Shimabukuro, Junya Tachikawa
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Publication number: 20030022757Abstract: A transmission comprises an engine, which is controllable to stop under a predetermined condition, and a speed change mechanism TM, which transmits the output rotation of the engine at different speed ratios. The speed change mechanism TM has a plurality of transmission paths (the LOW ratio, the SECOND speed ratio, etc.) disposed in parallel, a plurality of ratio-setting clutches (the LOW clutch 11, the SECOND speed clutch 12, etc.), each clutch for selecting a predetermined transmission path, and a speed change control system for selectively supplying a hydraulic pressure to any of the ratio-setting clutches to bring it into engagement. Engagement-initiation time is calculated for each ratio-setting clutch, so that the ratio-setting clutch requiring a minimum engagement-initiation time is selected as the clutch for the start-up speed ratio. When the engine is restarted from stopped state, this clutch for the start-up speed ratio is supplied with oil.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 7, 2002Publication date: January 30, 2003Inventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita, Takamichi Shimada
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Publication number: 20030017912Abstract: A transmission unit is composed of an engine E, a torque converter TC, and an automatic transmission TM. The engine restart and vehicle start control apparatus comprises an electromagnetic valve capable of calculating the pump impeller suction torque of the torque converter and setting the oil pressure increase ratio for the oil pressure supplied to the vehicle start clutch. When the engine is restarted from an engine stopped state and the vehicle start stage is set by supplying hydraulic oil to a friction engagement element and engaging the friction engagement element, an oil pressure supply increasing at a first oil pressure increase ratio is conducted till the calculated pump impeller suction torque reaches the prescribed criterial value, and an oil pressure supply increasing at a second oil pressure increase ratio which is less than the first oil pressure increase ratio is conducted from the instant the calculated pump impeller suction torque becomes greater than the prescribed criterial value.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 4, 2002Publication date: January 23, 2003Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita
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Publication number: 20020179351Abstract: A hybrid vehicle comprises a torque converter TC, which is connected to an engine E, a gear-type speed change mechanism, shift clutches 13c and 14c, a drive power transmission system, which transmits output rotation to drive wheels 6, and a second motor generator 2, which can drive the drive wheels 6. A control system for this hybrid vehicle comprises a throttle controller TH and a shift control valve CV. When the drive mode is switched from motor-driven mode to engine-driven mode, the control system sets a target speed ratio and calculates a vehicle-speed corresponding rotational speed that would arise at the output shaft of the engine if the current rotation of the drive wheels were transmitted with this target speed ratio and through the torque converter with a speed ratio of 1.0. Then, the control system controls the rotation of the engine to bring the output rotational speed of the engine closer to the vehicle-speed corresponding rotational speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2002Publication date: December 5, 2002Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Naohisa Morishita
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Publication number: 20020170758Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle control system equipped with an internal combustion engine (10), an electric motor (14) connected to the engine through a hydraulic clutch (12) and an automatic transmission (16) connected to the motor to be inputted with an output torque outputted from the engine and the motor to transmit the same to driven wheels (24) of the vehicle, the output torque of the motor (TM) and supply of hydraulic pressure to the clutch (PCL) is increased until the determined speed difference (dN) is less than a threshold value (dN3) and then the output torque of the engine is reduced such that the engine speed (NE) is synchronized with the motor speed (NM) when the speed difference (dN) becomes less than the predetermined value (dN3), while increasing the supply of hydraulic pressure to a line pressure equivalent value. With this, it can effectively reduces shock at clutch engagement during switchover from electric motor-powered driving to internal combustion engine-powered driving.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 14, 2002Publication date: November 21, 2002Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Eijiro Shimabukuro, Kazuaki Takizawa, Kenji Hagiwara
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Patent number: 6401012Abstract: A vehicle control apparatus which improves drivability by appropriately supplying oil pressure in accordance with road conditions to obtain sufficient drive force at an appropriate timing. Engine stop permission is determined, and when the engine stop permission has been given, the need for immediate start of the vehicle is determined in accordance with data related to the road, and when it has been determined that immediate start is required, the operation of the oil pressure generation apparatus is maintained.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2000Date of Patent: June 4, 2002Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Takashi Aoki, Eijiro Shimabukuro