Patents by Inventor Hideki SANAI
Hideki SANAI 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: 11958467Abstract: A hybrid driving apparatus is provided which enables a driver to sufficiently enjoy a driving feeling of a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. A hybrid driving apparatus includes an internal combustion engine that drive main driving wheels, a motive power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force to the main driving wheels, a main driving electric motor driving the main driving wheels, an accumulator, sub-driving electric motors transmitting motive power to sub-driving wheels of the vehicle, and a control apparatus executing an electric motor traveling mode and an internal combustion engine traveling mode. The control apparatus causes the internal combustion engine to generate the driving force, the internal combustion engine is a flywheel-less engine, and the control apparatus causes the main driving electric motor to generate a torque for maintaining idling of the internal combustion engine in the internal combustion engine traveling mode.Type: GrantFiled: February 14, 2019Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11938801Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of effectively driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive the wheels, a body side motor (16) that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels of the vehicle, and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the in-wheel motors and/or the body side motor, in which a voltage of the battery is applied to the body side motor and a voltage of the battery and the capacitor connected in series is applied to the in-wheel motors.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: March 26, 2024Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Kei Yonemori, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11738630Abstract: A vehicle drive device uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors that are provided in wheels of a vehicle and drive the wheels, a body side motor that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels, and a controller that controls the in-wheel motors and the body side motor based on requested output power of a driver, in which the controller causes the body side motor to generate a driving force and the in-wheel motors not to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is less than predetermined output power and the controller causes the body side motor and the in-wheel motors to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is equal to or more than the predetermined output power.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Kei Yonemori, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11718168Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using a motor without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motor and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device (10) having a motor for driving the wheels of a vehicle and includes a front wheel motor (20) for driving front wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the front wheel motor (20), in which the voltage of the battery (18) and the capacitor (22) connected in series is applied to the front wheel motor (20) and the capacitor (22) is disposed between the left and right front wheels (2b) of the vehicle (1).Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 8, 2023Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Kei Yonemori, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11427067Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive wheels, in which the in-wheel motors generate the maximum output power in a high revolutions range equal to or more than a predetermined number of revolutions that is more than zero.Type: GrantFiled: March 19, 2019Date of Patent: August 30, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Kei Yonemori, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11364783Abstract: A hybrid driving apparatus includes an internal combustion engine, a motive power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force to main driving wheels, a main driving electric motor generating a driving force of the main driving wheels, an accumulator, sub-driving electric motors generating driving forces of sub-driving wheels, and a control apparatus executing an electric motor traveling mode and an internal combustion engine traveling mode. The sub-driving electric motor is provided to each of the sub-driving wheels, the control apparatus causes only the main driving electric motor to generate the driving force in the electric motor traveling mode and causes the main driving electric motor and the sub-driving electric motors to generate the driving forces in acceleration of the vehicle at a predetermined vehicle speed or higher, and although the engine generates the driving force, it does not cause the motors to generate driving forces in the traveling mode.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2019Date of Patent: June 21, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Isao Toda, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11351876Abstract: A vehicle power supply system configured to be charged by an electric vehicle (EV) charging station that performs charging with a voltage equal to or more than a predetermined lower limit voltage. The vehicle power supply system includes a battery having a rated voltage lower than the lower limit voltage; a capacitor electrically connected in series to the battery, wherein a sum of the rated voltage of the battery and a rated voltage of the capacitor is greater than the first voltage; and an interface configured to receive electric power from the EV charging station. The vehicle power supply system also includes circuitry configured to receive electric power from the EV charging station, and charge the battery and the capacitor using the received electric power.Type: GrantFiled: January 27, 2020Date of Patent: June 7, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Furukawa, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11345242Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes: a power supply in which a battery and a capacitor are connected in series; a primary drive motor to which a voltage of the battery is provided; secondary drive motors to each of which a total voltage (Vin) of the battery and the power supply capacitor is provided; a charging circuit; and a control circuit that controls charging/discharging of the power supply. The control circuit operates switches SW1, SW2 of the charging circuit so as to control charging/discharging of the battery and the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Furukawa, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 11230183Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes: a primary drive motor and a secondary drive motor; a battery; a capacitor that is connected in-series with the battery; a first power line that supplies a total aggregate voltage of the battery and the capacitor; a second power line that supplies a battery voltage; and a third power line that supplies a cell voltage. The first power line, the second power line, and the third power line are configured such that the battery voltage is higher than the cell voltage and that the total voltage is higher than the battery voltage.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Furukawa, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Publication number: 20210370906Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using a motor without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motor and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device (10) having a motor for driving the wheels of a vehicle and includes a front wheel motor (20) for driving front wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the front wheel motor (20), in which the voltage of the battery (18) and the capacitor (22) connected in series is applied to the front wheel motor (20) and the capacitor (22) is disposed between the left and right front wheels (2b) of the vehicle (1).Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Kei YONEMORI, Hideki SANAI
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Patent number: 11173858Abstract: A vehicle power supply system configured to be installed in a vehicle. The vehicle power supply system includes a battery having a rated voltage lower than a first voltage; a capacitor having a rated voltage higher than the first voltage; circuitry configured to discharge electric charge stored in the capacitor; and a controller configured to control the circuitry to charge the battery by discharging the electric charge stored in the capacitor in response to detection of a collision of the vehicle or detection of a process to replace the capacitor.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 16, 2021Assignee: MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATIONInventors: Akihiro Furukawa, Seiyo Hirano, Hideki Sanai
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Patent number: 10946856Abstract: Provided is a vehicle drive system capable of suppressing a feeling of acceleration drop and free running, thereby improving vehicle riding comfort. The vehicle drive system includes: an internal combustion engine for driving a primary drive wheel; a stepped variable transmission; an assist motor for driving a secondary drive wheel; and a motor control device for controlling the assist motor, wherein the stepped variable transmission is a seamless-shift transmission configured such that a drive force to be transmitted therethrough is interrupted during shifting down, but not substantially interrupted during shifting up, and the motor control device is operable, during the shifting down by the stepped variable transmission, to cause the assist motor to generate a drive force to compensate for the interruption of the drive force.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2019Date of Patent: March 16, 2021Assignee: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Hajime Oyama, Shigeo Yoshikawa, Hiroyuki Shirata, Hideki Sanai
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Publication number: 20210039509Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive wheels, in which the in-wheel motors generate the maximum output power in a high revolutions range equal to or more than a predetermined number of revolutions that is more than zero.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Kei YONEMORI, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20210023935Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of efficiently driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes a vehicle speed sensor that detects the travel speed of a vehicle, in-wheel motors that are provided in wheels of the vehicle and drive the wheels, and a controller that controls the in-wheel motors, in which the controller controls the in-wheel motors so as to generate driving forces when the travel speed of the vehicle detected by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or more than a predetermined first vehicle speed that is more than zero.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: January 28, 2021Inventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Kei YONEMORI, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20210016765Abstract: A hybrid driving apparatus is provided which enables a driver to sufficiently enjoy a driving feeling of a vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine. A hybrid driving apparatus includes an internal combustion engine that drive main driving wheels, a motive power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force to the main driving wheels, a main driving electric motor driving the main driving wheels, an accumulator, sub-driving electric motors transmitting motive power to sub-driving wheels of the vehicle, and a control apparatus executing an electric motor traveling mode and an internal combustion engine traveling mode. The control apparatus causes the internal combustion engine to generate the driving force, the internal combustion engine is a flywheel-less engine, and the control apparatus causes the main driving electric motor to generate a torque for maintaining idling of the internal combustion engine in the internal combustion engine traveling mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 14, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20210016653Abstract: To provide a vehicle drive device capable of effectively driving a vehicle by using in-wheel motors without falling into the vicious cycle between enhancement of driving via the motors and an increase in vehicle weight. The present invention is a vehicle drive device that uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors (20) that are provided in wheels (2b) of a vehicle (1) and drive the wheels, a body side motor (16) that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels of the vehicle, and a battery (18) and a capacitor (22) that supply electric power for driving the in-wheel motors and/or the body side motor, in which a voltage of the battery is applied to the body side motor and a voltage of the battery and the capacitor connected in series is applied to the in-wheel motors.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Kei YONEMORI, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20210016782Abstract: A vehicle drive device uses in-wheel motors to drive a vehicle and includes in-wheel motors that are provided in wheels of a vehicle and drive the wheels, a body side motor that is provided in a body of the vehicle and drives the wheels, and a controller that controls the in-wheel motors and the body side motor based on requested output power of a driver, in which the controller causes the body side motor to generate a driving force and the in-wheel motors not to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is less than predetermined output power and the controller causes the body side motor and the in-wheel motors to generate driving forces when the requested output power of the driver is equal to or more than the predetermined output power.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 19, 2019Publication date: January 21, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Kei YONEMORI, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20210008971Abstract: A hybrid driving apparatus includes an internal combustion engine, a motive power transmission mechanism transmitting a driving force to main driving wheels, a main driving electric motor generating a driving force of the main driving wheels, an accumulator, subdriving electric motors generating driving forces of sub-driving wheels, and a control apparatus executing an electric motor traveling mode and an internal combustion engine traveling mode. The sub-driving electric motor is provided to each of the sub-driving wheels, the control apparatus causes only the main driving electric motor to generate the driving force in the electric motor traveling mode and causes the main driving electric motor and the sub-driving electric motors to generate the driving forces in acceleration of the vehicle at a predetermined vehicle speed or higher, and although the engine generates the driving force, it does not cause the motors to generate driving forces in the traveling mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2019Publication date: January 14, 2021Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Isao TODA, Seiyo HIRANO, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20200376967Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes: a power supply in which a battery and a capacitor are connected in series; a primary drive motor to which a voltage of the battery is provided; secondary drive motors to each of which a total voltage (Vin) of the battery and the power supply capacitor is provided; a charging circuit; and a control circuit that controls charging/discharging of the power supply. The control circuit operates switches SW1, SW2 of the charging circuit so as to control charging/discharging of the battery and the capacitor.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Akihiro FURUKAWA, Seiyo HIRANO, Hideki SANAI
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Publication number: 20200376949Abstract: A vehicle drive system includes: a primary drive motor and a secondary drive motor; a battery; a capacitor that is connected in-series with the battery; a first power line that supplies a total aggregate voltage of the battery and the capacitor; a second power line that supplies a battery voltage; and a third power line that supplies a cell voltage. The first power line, the second power line, and the third power line are configured such that the battery voltage is higher than the cell voltage and that the total voltage is higher than the battery voltage.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: Mazda Motor CorporationInventors: Akihiro FURUKAWA, Seiyo HIRANO, Hideki SANAI