Patents by Inventor Hideaki Higashimura

Hideaki Higashimura 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: 7669942
    Abstract: A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hideaki Higashimura, Makoto Nishikimi, Keita Nakano, Yoichi Miyawaki
  • Publication number: 20080185910
    Abstract: A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Applicant: SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Masato YOSHINO, Hideaki HIGASHIMURA, Makoto NISHIKIMI, Keita NAKANO, Yoichi MIYAWAKI
  • Patent number: 7264093
    Abstract: A combined service and parking brake apparatus includes a piston which forms a hydraulic chamber within a cylinder portion; a brake lining which, when pressed by the piston, brakes rotation of a disc rotor; a second piston which divides the hydraulic changer into a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber; a friction clutch which allows rotation of the second piston when the second piston is held at its home position and which disables rotation of the second piston when the second piston moves by a predetermined distance toward the second hydraulic chamber; an adjuster including an internal-thread portion and an external-thread portion and adapted to adjust the clearance between the pistons in accordance with the amount of wear of the brake lining; and a changeover valve for establishing and shutting off the communication between the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2007
    Assignee: Advics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Koichi Hashida, Hideaki Higashimura, Daizo Oba, Masahiko Kamiya, Moriharu Sakai, Takashi Murayama
  • Patent number: 6979062
    Abstract: A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2005
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hideaki Higashimura, Makoto Nishikimi, Keita Nakano, Yoichi Miyawaki
  • Publication number: 20050252732
    Abstract: A combined service and parking brake apparatus includes a piston which forms a hydraulic chamber within a cylinder portion; a brake lining which, when pressed by the piston, brakes rotation of a disc rotor; a second piston which divides the hydraulic changer into a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber; a friction clutch which allows rotation of the second piston when the second piston is held at its home position and which disables rotation of the second piston when the second piston moves by a predetermined distance toward the second hydraulic chamber; an adjuster including an internal-thread portion and an external-thread portion and adapted to adjust the clearance between the pistons in accordance with the amount of wear of the brake lining; and a changeover valve for establishing and shutting off the communication between the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Koichi Hashida, Hideaki Higashimura, Daizo Oba, Masahiko Kamiya, Moriharu Sakai, Takashi Murayama
  • Publication number: 20040061376
    Abstract: A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hideaki Higashimura, Makoto Nishikimi, Keita Nakano, Yoichi Miyawaki
  • Publication number: 20040061377
    Abstract: A brake system and a brake device for use with automobiles is provided in which braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be effectively used for braking, even if an electrical system fails. The vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source. A passage transmits the liquid pressure generated by a brake pedal stroke, a switching valve opens the passage in the powered condition and closes the passage in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion activates the proportional pressure control valve. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2003
    Publication date: April 1, 2004
    Applicant: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hideaki Higashimura, Makoto Nishikimi, Keita Nakano, Yoichi Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 6685280
    Abstract: This invention is to provide a brake system and a brake device for use of automobiles, in which a braking energy stored in an auxiliary pressure source can be exploited effectively for a braking purpose, even if an electrical system fails. In particular, the vehicle brake system includes a proportional pressure control valve 80 for generating braking liquid pressure by adjusting the braking energy stored in the auxiliary pressure source 30. Also the vehicle brake system comprises a passage 75 transmitting the liquid pressure generated by a stroke of a brake pedal 1, a switching valve 76 opening the passage in the powered condition and closing the same in the off-powered condition, and an auxiliary control portion 81 activating the proportional pressure control valve 80. Even in the off-powered condition, the high pressure accumulated in the auxiliary pressure source 30 can be used to adjust the required braking liquid pressure at the proportional pressure control valve 80.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masato Yoshino, Hideaki Higashimura, Makoto Nishikimi, Keita Nakano, Yoichi Miyawaki
  • Patent number: 6494547
    Abstract: Improving operating feelings and energy saving are aimed for a brake system of the type in which a predetermined differential pressure is produced between a master cylinder and wheel cylinders by a hydraulic pressure limit/changeover device during regenerative braking, and at the end of regenerative braking, the differential pressure is cancelled by increasing the pressure in the wheel cylinders with fluid sucked up from a reservoir for pressure increase by an electric pump. A reservoir for pressure increase, which is also used as a stroke simulator, is provided on the master cylinder side of the hydraulic pressure limit/changeover device, an on-off valve and a check valve are provided parallel to each other on the inlet side of the reservoir for pressure increase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2002
    Assignee: Sunitomo (SEI) Brake Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideaki Higashimura, Koichi Hashida
  • Publication number: 20020011750
    Abstract: Improving operating feelings and energy saving are aimed for a brake system of the type in which a predetermined differential pressure is produced between a master cylinder and wheel cylinders by a hydraulic pressure limit/changeover means during regenerative braking, and at the end of regenerative braking, the differential pressure is cancelled by increasing the pressure in the wheel cylinders with fluid sucked up from a reservoir for pressure increase by an electric pump. A reservoir for pressure increase, which is also used as a stroke simulator, is provided on the master cylinder side of the hydraulic pressure limit/changeover means, an on-off valve and a check valve are provided parallel to each other on the inlet side of the reservoir for pressure increase, so that the split point hydraulic pressure and the pressure-reducing ratio of a proportional pressure-reducing valve for supplying brake fluid toward the wheel cylinders during the initial period of braking can be brought unlimitedly close to zero.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2001
    Publication date: January 31, 2002
    Applicant: SUMITOMO (SEI) BRAKE SYSTEMS, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideaki Higashimura, Koichi Hashida
  • Patent number: 5921638
    Abstract: A brake fluid pressure control device which is simple in structure and inexpensive, which has the functions as both an antilock controller and a traction controller, and which is capable of automatically increasing braking pressure with pumps while the driver is treading the brake pedal. Shutoff valves serving as fluid sources for pumps are provided in a fluid circulation type antilock control device. When the brake pedal is treaden, the shutoff valves close under the master cylinder pressure. While the shutoff valves are closed, no fluid can be supplied to the pump. But in this state, changeover valves open, so that fluid can be supplied from the master cylinder to the pumps through the changeover valves. Check valves are further provided to prevent the fluid supplied to the pumps from flowing into dumped fluid reservoirs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: July 13, 1999
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideaki Higashimura, Takato Ohgaki, Youichi Miyawaki, Koichi Hashida, Takamitu Ishihara
  • Patent number: 5026123
    Abstract: A flow control valve for use in an antilock control device includes a housing having inlet and outlet ports communicating with a pressure source and a wheel brake, respectively, and a spool slidably mounted in the housing and formed with a channel including an orifice. When the spool is in a first position, a large-flow passage is formed between the inlet and outlet ports. When in another position, a restricted-flow passage is formed between the inlet and outlet ports through the orifice while the large-flow passage is closed. A piston is mounted in the housing on top of the spool. Every time the brake is applied, the piston is adapted to move up and down, thus allowing the spool to slide in the same direction to the first position. Instead of the piston, a sleeve may be disposed between the inner periphery of the housing and the outer periphery of the spool so as to be slidable relative to both the housing and the spool.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1989
    Date of Patent: June 25, 1991
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Nokubo, Teruhisa Kohno, Koichi Hashida, Takashi Usuki, Hideaki Higashimura
  • Patent number: 4964680
    Abstract: A flow control valve for antilock control includes a housing having inlet, outlet and discharge ports communicating with a master cylinder, a wheel brake and a reservoir circuit, respectively, and a spool mounted in the housing so as to be slidable between two positions. When the spool is in one of the two positions, a large-flow channel is formed between the inlet and outlet ports, whereas in the other position, a restricted-flow channel is formed therebetween. In an intermediate position, both of the channels are closed by edge portions formed on the spool. A throttled bypass channel is formed so as to branch off from the restricted-flow channel so as to be connected to the outlet port. Even if the spool should get stuck in any intermediate position between the above two positions, hydraulic oil can be fed from the inlet port to the outlet port through this throttled channel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1989
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1990
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventors: Seiji Nokubo, Teruhisa Kohno, Koichi Hashida, Atsuo Matsumoto, Hideaki Higashimura
  • Patent number: 4955671
    Abstract: An antiskid control device is for use with the brake assembly of a motor vehicle. It includes a program for detecting any malfunction of wheel speed sensors of the non-driven wheels. The program is adapted to judge when the non-driven wheel sensors are out of order and to give a signal notifying the abnormality of the sensors, if the wheel speed values detected by the non-driven wheels are kept out of a predetermined range for a predetermined period while the wheel speeds detected by the driven wheel speed sensors are above a predetermined point. Thus, a possible malfunction of the antilock device itself resulting from wrong information transmitted from the troubled non-driven wheel sensors will be identified and prevented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1989
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1990
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Higashimura
  • Patent number: 4953092
    Abstract: An anti-skid control device comprising a stop lamp detecting unit for detecting the status of a stop lamp and for generating an ON.OFF signal, to which detecting unit is connected a determining unit for determining a control mode for a calculating and locked condition detecting unit of the anti-skid control device so that, in the event that the stop lamp detecting unit continuously generates an ON signal subsequent to the start of a process of the calculating and locked condition detecting unit, the control mode is rendered to be an OFF mode, but when and after an OFF signal has been with no doubt detected at the time of start of the process, the control mode is determined in dependence on the ON.OFF signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 1988
    Date of Patent: August 28, 1990
    Assignee: Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideaki Higashimura