Patents by Inventor Hideki Tamoto
Hideki Tamoto 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: 10006759Abstract: A butt position detecting method for a weld joint, when an arrangement direction of a first member and a second member is defined as a first direction, and a direction that is perpendicular to the first direction is defined as a second direction, the first member has a corner portion and a chamfer portion, and a two-dimensional displacement sensor is arranged at a position offset from the butt portion toward the first member side in the first direction, and such that an angle ?s at which the second direction and an optical axis direction of irradiation light of the two-dimensional displacement sensor intersect with each other and an angle ?a at which the second direction and a formation direction of the chamfer portion of the first member intersect with each other satisfy a condition expression: 0°<?s<?a.Type: GrantFiled: April 28, 2011Date of Patent: June 26, 2018Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shingo Iwatani, Keisuke Uchida, Hideki Tamoto, Ryota Horie, Katsunori Suzuki
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Patent number: 9695885Abstract: A movable sleeve of a second clutch is provided between a cylindrical ring gear and a cylindrical shaft of a differential case of a differential gear unit. In a disconnect mode in which a propeller shaft is disconnected from rear wheels, the cylindrical ring gear is disconnected from the differential case by the movable sleeve of the second clutch. Thus, in the disconnect mode, a fully differential state of the differential gear unit is prevented.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2014Date of Patent: July 4, 2017Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Tamoto, Takahiro Yoshimura
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Patent number: 9440533Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular 4-wheel drive system provided with: primary drive wheels to which a drive force is transmitted from a drive power source; auxiliary drive wheels to which the drive force is selectively transmitted; a first clutch configured to selectively place a first power transmitting path in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state; and a second clutch disposed in a second power transmitting path to selectively place the second power transmitting path in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state. The first and second clutches are placed in fully released states to establish a 2-wheel drive mode. The control apparatus includes a first-clutch control portion configured to bring the first clutch into a partially engaged state when a predetermined condition in which the vehicular 4-wheel drive system generates or is considered to generate a noise is satisfied in the 2-wheel drive mode.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: September 13, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshinori Maeda, Takahiro Yoshimura, Ryota Horie, Hiroshi Tamura, Hideki Tamoto
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Publication number: 20160107523Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular 4-wheel drive system provided with: primary drive wheels to which a drive force is transmitted from a drive power source; auxiliary drive wheels to which the drive force is selectively transmitted; a first clutch configured to selectively place a first power transmitting path in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state; and a second clutch disposed in a second power transmitting path to selectively place the second power transmitting path in a power transmitting state and a power cutoff state. The first and second clutches are placed in fully released states to establish a 2-wheel drive mode. The control apparatus includes a first-clutch control portion configured to bring the first clutch into a partially engaged state when a predetermined condition in which the vehicular 4-wheel drive system generates or is considered to generate a noise is satisfied in the 2-wheel drive mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2015Publication date: April 21, 2016Inventors: Yoshinori Maeda, Takahiro Yoshimura, Ryota Horie, Hiroshi Tamura, Hideki Tamoto
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Patent number: 9272700Abstract: A disconnect mechanism is configured to disconnect a predetermined rotating element from an engine and an auxiliary drive wheels while the vehicle is traveling in a two-wheel drive mode. The predetermined rotating element is configured to transmit power to the auxiliary drive wheels while the vehicle is traveling in a four-wheel drive mode. An electronic control unit is configured to: execute shift control when a shift condition of an automatic transmission is satisfied; selectively engage or release the disconnect mechanism based on a traveling state of the vehicle and a driver's predetermined operation; and control at least one of the automatic transmission or the disconnect mechanism such that a shift period based on the shift condition of the automatic transmission and an engagement-release period of the disconnect mechanism at least partially overlap with each other.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 2014Date of Patent: March 1, 2016Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Tamoto, Masayuki Arai, Yoshiro Obayashi, Kunihiro Iwatsuki
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Publication number: 20150224971Abstract: A control apparatus for a vehicular drive system includes a pair of drive shafts, a differential gear device for distributing a received drive torque to left and right drive wheels through the respective drive shafts, a control clutch associated with one of the drive shafts and configured to switch between its engaged and released states, and a braking device disposed to apply a braking force to one of the drive wheels which is disposed to the other of the drive shafts. The control apparatus includes: a torque control portion configured to operate the braking device for reducing the torque to be transmitted to the one of the drive wheels, in the event of an abrupt increase of the torque received by the differential gear device while the control clutch is placed in the engaged state.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2013Publication date: August 13, 2015Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiro Yoshimura, Hideki Tamoto, Masayuki Hashimoto, Minoru Onitake, Shun Ohno
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Publication number: 20150165901Abstract: A movable sleeve of a second clutch is provided between a cylindrical ring gear and a cylindrical shaft of a differential case of a differential gear unit. In a disconnect mode in which a propeller shaft is disconnected from rear wheels, the cylindrical ring gear is disconnected from the differential case by the movable sleeve of the second clutch. Thus, in the disconnect mode, a fully differential state of the differential gear unit is prevented.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 18, 2014Publication date: June 18, 2015Inventors: Hideki Tamoto, Takahiro Yoshimura
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Publication number: 20150142280Abstract: A disconnect mechanism is configured to disconnect a predetermined rotating element from an engine and an auxiliary drive wheels while the vehicle is traveling in a two-wheel drive mode. The predetermined rotating element is configured to transmit power to the auxiliary drive wheels while the vehicle is traveling in a four-wheel drive mode. An electronic control unit is configured to: execute shift control when a shift condition of an automatic transmission is satisfied; selectively engage or release the disconnect mechanism based on a traveling state of the vehicle and a driver's predetermined operation; and control at least one of the automatic transmission or the disconnect mechanism such that a shift period based on the shift condition of the automatic transmission and an engagement-release period of the disconnect mechanism at least partially overlap with each other.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2014Publication date: May 21, 2015Inventors: Hideki Tamoto, Masayuki Arai, Yoshiro Obayashi, Kunihiro Iwatsuki
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Publication number: 20140150587Abstract: A transfer includes an input gear, an intermediate gear, an output gear, and an electric motor. Driving torque is transmitted to the input gear. The intermediate gear engages with the input gear. The output gear engages with the intermediate gear. The electric motor is connected to the intermediate gear. A diameter of the intermediate gear is smaller than a diameter of the input gear and a diameter of the output gear.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 3, 2013Publication date: June 5, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Isao KOZAWA, Hideki TAMOTO
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Publication number: 20140073472Abstract: A power transmitting shaft transmits power of a driving force source to driven wheels. A differential gear is connected to an axle of the driven wheels. A ring gear is provided between the power transmitting shaft and the differential gear. A switching mechanism between the driving force source and the power transmitting shaft switches between a four-wheel drive state and a two-wheel drive state. A two-way clutch is provided between the ring gear and the differential gear. The two-way clutch switches between a power transmitting state and a power transmission interrupted state.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2013Publication date: March 13, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Takahiro YOSHIMURA, Hideki TAMOTO, Masayuki HASHIMOTO, Minoru ONITAKE, Shun OHNO
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Publication number: 20140042126Abstract: It is a task of the present application to provide a butt position detecting method for a weld joint and a butt position detecting device for a weld joint that can detect a position of a butt portion between both members with high accuracy while reducing costs, and a manufacturing a weld joint that carries out the butt position detecting method.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 28, 2011Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shingo Iwatani, Keisuke Uchida, Hideki Tamoto, Ryota Horie, Katsunori Suzuki
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Publication number: 20120190493Abstract: A coupling device includes a clutch mechanism portion that is provided between a propeller shaft and a drive pinion shaft, and that engages by viscous resistance of hydraulic fluid. This coupling device is able to transmit driving force from a driving source to the drive pinion shaft by the engagement of this clutch mechanism portion. Also, an oil pump is provided that supplies hydraulic fluid not used for engaging the clutch mechanism portion to the clutch mechanism portion when the drive pinion shaft rotates.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2011Publication date: July 26, 2012Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Hideki TAMOTO
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Publication number: 20110192698Abstract: A vehicle coupling includes a wet type multiple disc clutch that selectively connects or disconnects a driving member to or from a driven member; a piston that engages the wet type multiple disc clutch by pushing against the wet type multiple disc clutch in an axial direction; a pushing mechanism that generates force with which the piston pushes against the wet type multiple disc clutch, based on the relative torque between the driving member and the driven member; and a hydraulic mechanism that generates hydraulic pressure for generating thrust to move the piston away from the wet type multiple disc clutch, according to differential rotation between the driving member and the driven member when the wet type multiple disc clutch is released.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2011Publication date: August 11, 2011Applicant: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroyuki Shimokasa, Hideki Tamoto, Isao Kozawa
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Patent number: 7927246Abstract: The rotation of a first rotating element is shifted in speed by a speed shift device, and is transmitted to a second rotating element or a third rotating element of a differential device via a first clutch or a second clutch. In this manner, the torque of right and left driving wheels can be controlled. Furthermore, in conjunction with limitation of the differential motion, the amount of torque transmitted to a fourth rotating element is eliminated by allowing the speed shift device to freely rotate, and the accumulated amount of sliding of friction engagement elements at the time of differential motion limitation can be reduced by completely engaging the first clutch and the second clutch without allowing them to slide. Thus, the differential motion limitation control can be realized without a need to increase the size of the first clutch and the second clutch.Type: GrantFiled: April 3, 2007Date of Patent: April 19, 2011Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Yoshihiro Ikushima, Kazuhiko Yuasa, Hideki Tamoto, Hirokazu Suzuki, Akifumi Miyazaki, Koji Ando
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Patent number: 7758466Abstract: A vehicle planetary gear device includes a ring gear, a sun gear, and a carrier, and pinions housed in the carrier. A penetration hole formed in a hollow cylindrical portion of the carrier has two inner wall surfaces that face an outer peripheral surface of a pinion. One of the inner wall surfaces has a curvature radius larger than the radius of the pinion, and has a curvature center that is apart from the radius center of the pinion gear. The pinion is disposed with respect to the carrier with a predetermined space formed between the one of the inner wall surfaces and the outer peripheral surface of the pinion, and thereby slides along a radial direction of the carrier.Type: GrantFiled: March 5, 2008Date of Patent: July 20, 2010Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Kato, Akinori Homan, Hideki Tamoto
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Publication number: 20090186738Abstract: The rotation of a first rotating element is shifted in speed by a speed shift device, and is transmitted to a second rotating element or a third rotating element of a differential device via a first clutch or a second clutch. In this manner, the torque of right and left driving wheels can be controlled. Furthermore, in conjunction with limitation of the differential motion, the amount of torque transmitted to a fourth rotating element is eliminated by allowing the speed shift device to freely rotate, and the accumulated amount of sliding of friction engagement elements at the time of differential motion limitation can be reduced by completely engaging the first clutch and the second clutch without allowing them to slide. Thus, the differential motion limitation control can be realized without a need to increase the size of the first clutch and the second clutch.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 3, 2007Publication date: July 23, 2009Inventors: Yoshihiro Ikushima, Kazuhiko Yuasa, Hideki Tamoto, Hirokazu Suzuki, Akifumi Miyazaki, Koji Ando
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Publication number: 20080220924Abstract: A vehicle planetary gear device includes a ring gear, a sun gear, and a carrier, and pinions housed in the carrier. A penetration hole formed in a hollow cylindrical portion of the carrier has two inner wall surfaces that face an outer peripheral surface of a pinion. One of the inner wall surfaces has a curvature radius larger than the radius of the pinion, and has a curvature center that is apart from the radius center of the pinion gear. The pinion is disposed with respect to the carrier with a predetermined space formed between the one of the inner wall surfaces and the outer peripheral surface of the pinion, and thereby slides along a radial direction of the carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 5, 2008Publication date: September 11, 2008Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Koichi Kato, Akinori Homan, Hideki Tamoto