Patents by Inventor Hideo Matsunaga

Hideo Matsunaga 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: 9990858
    Abstract: Provided is a golf swing classification method that is capable of optimizing selection of a golf club. A golf swing classification method when a golf club hits a golf ball according to the present invention includes the steps of: acquiring acceleration in at least a single point on the golf club or in at least one point that follows the single point during the golf swing; and mapping a behavior of the golf club based on a time period from a time point when an absolute value of the acceleration is at a maximum to a time point when the golf club hits the golf ball.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignees: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Senno, Koji Takao, Daisuke Kondo, Hideo Matsunaga, Hirotada Iwade
  • Publication number: 20180058359
    Abstract: There is provided fuel-system failure detection apparatus applied to an engine capable of switching between a first injection mode and a second injection mode, which comprises a first failure determination unit which performs a fuel system failure determination process while the engine is operating in the first and the second injection modes, respectively, a second failure determination unit which, when the first failure determination unit gives a decision of failure while the engine is operating in either of the two injection modes, performs the fuel system failure determination process while the engine is operating in the other injection mode, and a failure identification unit which identifies a failure in fuel systems governing the first and second injection modes respectively, based on a decision about failure given by the second failure determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 25, 2017
    Publication date: March 1, 2018
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya KITADA, Hideo MATSUNAGA, Satoshi MAEDA
  • Patent number: 9850855
    Abstract: When a leak test for a purge pipe and a vapor pipe as targets is executed, a sealing valve that is being closed is opened while an open state of a bypass valve is kept prior to the execution of the leak test, fuel evaporative gas in a fuel tank is caused to flow out to a canister side to reduce a tank internal pressure Ptan to a valve opening guarantee determination value P0, and after the bypass valve is closed subsequently, the leak test is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Katsuhiro Furuta, Kyosuke Uematsu
  • Publication number: 20170342930
    Abstract: A diagnostic device incorporates a processor and a memory and diagnoses a failure related to a fuel injection system for an engine whose air-fuel ratio of is feedback-controlled. The diagnostic device includes a calculation unit which calculates a corrected value of a fuel injection amount according to a difference between a target value and a measured value of the air-fuel ratio. The diagnostic device includes a setting unit which sets a mask period in which a failure diagnosis is suspended, according to the corrected value upon switchover of a fuel injection mode. The diagnostic device includes a diagnostic unit which does not carry out the diagnosis in the mask period and carries out the diagnosis outside the mask period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2017
    Publication date: November 30, 2017
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Junya KITADA, Hideo MATSUNAGA, Satoshi MAEDA
  • Patent number: 9804037
    Abstract: A first temperature sensor measures a first temperature of an object related to an engine. A fuel temperature sensor measures a fuel temperature. A diagnostic apparatus includes a diagnostic unit diagnosing the first temperature sensor based at least in part on the first temperature measured at the first temperature sensor. The diagnostic apparatus also includes a first determining unit determining whether the state of fault of the first temperature sensor is unclear or not based at least in part on the variation in the fuel temperature after the start-up of the engine for the diagnosis at the diagnostic unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoya Tano, Hideo Matsunaga, Junya Kitada
  • Patent number: 9689349
    Abstract: A fuel evaporative emission control apparatus executes a first leak presence/absence determination for determining the presence or absence of leaks of fuel evaporative gases based on the detection results of a tank pressure detection portion, with a first opening/closing portion being closed, a second opening/closing portion being opened, and a third opening/closing portion being closed. The fuel evaporative emission control apparatus can determine whether leaks of fuel evaporative gases are present or absent, can pinpoint the location of the leaks, and can detect a sensor abnormality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Patent number: 9664146
    Abstract: A changeover valve is opened, reference pressure Pb is detected, a monitoring timer is set to 0, a purge process is started, the changeover valve is closed, a pump is operated, and the monitoring timer t is started. Then, a canister internal pressure Pc is detected, a pressure deviation ?Pc is calculated from the reference pressure Pb and the canister pressure Pc, and it is determined if there is abnormality such as a leak or obstruction in a fuel evaporative gas treatment portion when the pressure deviation ?Pc is a first threshold ?P1 or higher. It is determined that there is a leak when the pressure deviation ?Pc is less than a second threshold ?P2, and it is determined that there is an obstruction when the pressure deviation ?Pc is the second threshold ?P2 or higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2017
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Hisakazu Ikedaya, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Patent number: 9574525
    Abstract: A purge solenoid valve is opened to introduce an atmospheric pressure into a fuel tank, the purge solenoid valve is closed to operate a negative pressure pump, and set an internal pressure of the tank to a reference pressure Pb. Then, a changeover valve is closed, and the purge solenoid valve is opened to cause a canister to communicate with an intake passage. Further, the changeover valve is opened, and the purge solenoid valve is closed. Then, a first tank internal pressure Po is detected and subtracted from the reference pressure Pb. If a calculated first pressure deviation ?Po is larger than a first threshold ?P1, it is determined that there is no open sticking in a sealing valve.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2017
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Katsuhiro Furuta, Hisakazu Ikedaya, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Publication number: 20160273975
    Abstract: A first temperature sensor measures a first temperature of an object related to an engine. A fuel temperature sensor measures a fuel temperature. A diagnostic apparatus includes a diagnostic unit diagnosing the first temperature sensor based at least in part on the first temperature measured at the first temperature sensor. The diagnostic apparatus also includes a first determining unit determining whether the state of fault of the first temperature sensor is unclear or not based at least in part on the variation in the fuel temperature after the start-up of the engine for the diagnosis at the diagnostic unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Publication date: September 22, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoya TANO, Hideo MATSUNAGA, Junya KITADA
  • Patent number: 9382879
    Abstract: If a pressure deviation ?P (amount of pressure decrease) after a first predetermined time period T1 has elapsed since a bypass valve (canister opening/closing valve) is controlled from an opened to closed state by actuating a negative pressure pump when the engine is stopped and a purge valve is opened is less than a first predetermined pressure P1, it is determined that the bypass valve is in an open sticking state, and if the pressure deviation ?P is not less than the first predetermined pressure P1, it is determined that the bypass valve is not in an open sticking state. Moreover, a pressure deviation ?P after a second predetermined time T2 has elapsed since the bypass valve is subsequently controlled to be opened decreases by not less than a second predetermined pressure P2, it is determined that the bypass valve 37 is not in a closed sticking state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Hitoshi Kamura
  • Publication number: 20160186637
    Abstract: A failure determination apparatus for an oxygen concentration sensor disposed downstream of a catalyst provided in an exhaust system of an internal combustion engines is provided for detecting a failure in the oxygen concentration sensor with high accuracy while preventing an erroneous determination of the failure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Publication date: June 30, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenta IMAOKA, Junya KITADA, Hideo MATSUNAGA
  • Publication number: 20160177817
    Abstract: During normal engine operation, a temporary determination mode is executed in which whether or not there is an air-fuel ratio variation among cylinders is determined on the basis of distortion in output waveform of an LAF sensor, concurrently with determination of deterioration of a three-way catalyst, under a control condition of normal learning sensitivity of the learned value of a stoichiometry correction factor. If it is determined in the temporary determination mode that there is an air-fuel ratio variation, the determination mode is switched to a main determination mode and the learning sensitivity of the learned value of the stoichiometry correction factor is set to the sensitive side to determine whether or not there is an air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders with higher reliability on the basis of the learned value of the stoichiometry correction factor (=the value of an enrichment process counter C2) which increases rapidly due to the air-fuel ratio variation among the cylinders.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Furuta, Kazumichi Takahashi, Yuji Sato, Junya Kitada, Hideo Matsunaga
  • Publication number: 20160177883
    Abstract: When a leak test for a purge pipe and a vapor pipe as targets is executed, a sealing valve that is being closed is opened while an open state of a bypass valve is kept prior to the execution of the leak test, fuel evaporative gas in a fuel tank is caused to flow out to a canister side to reduce a tank internal pressure Ptan to a valve opening guarantee determination value P0, and after the bypass valve is closed subsequently, the leak test is started.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2015
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo MATSUNAGA, Katsuhiro FURUTA, Kyosuke UEMATSU
  • Patent number: 9348953
    Abstract: Provided is a swing simulation system capable of simulating a swing without amplifying errors contained in measured values on three-dimensional coordinates of a grip during the swing. The simulation system according to the present invention includes: at least two imaging devices for imaging identification features capable of identifying a closed virtual plane that follows a grip of a golf club during a swing; and a simulation apparatus for simulating a behavior of the golf club during the swing, based on position information on the virtual plane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignees: BRIDGESTONE CORPORATION, Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshikazu Senno, Koji Takao, Takashi Saito, Hideo Matsunaga, Hirotada Iwade
  • Patent number: 9306477
    Abstract: In a hybrid vehicle that selects a series mode in which an engine drives a motor generator to generate electric power and a driving motor drives drive wheels, fuel supply to the engine is stopped and motoring in which the motor generator forcedly drives the engine can be performed, failure determination of a front O2 sensor and a rear O2 sensor provided in an exhaust passage of the engine can be performed based on a change in a detection value of the sensors when the fuel supply is stopped, and a throttle valve of the engine is forcedly opened in the motoring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2016
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Hisakazu Ikedaya, Hitoshi Kamura, Toshiyuki Miyata
  • Patent number: 9220954
    Abstract: A golf club head includes a portion with different thickness in a face portion. A region having a maximum thickness and a region having a minimum thickness are formed on a back of the face portion. An inclined portion with varying thickness is provided between those regions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2015
    Assignee: Bridgestone Sports Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Hideo Matsunaga
  • Patent number: 9151251
    Abstract: A leakage judgment with respect to a fuel tank is carried out. If the fuel tank is not leaking, a leakage judgment with respect to a canister is carried out. If there is a possibility of leakage in the fuel tank, a leakage judgment with respect to the fuel tank and the canister is carried out. If it is judged that there is leakage in the fuel tank and the canister, the leakage judgment with respect to the canister is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo Matsunaga, Hitoshi Kamura, Noriaki Kinoshita, Hisakazu Ikedaya
  • Publication number: 20150275790
    Abstract: A fuel evaporative emission control apparatus executes a first leak presence/absence determination for determining the presence or absence of leaks of fuel evaporative gases based on the detection results of a tank pressure detection portion, with a first opening/closing portion being closed, a second opening/closing portion being opened, and a third opening/closing portion being closed. The fuel evaporative emission control apparatus can determine whether leaks of fuel evaporative gases are present or absent, can pinpoint the location of the leaks, and can detect a sensor abnormality.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo MATSUNAGA, Hitoshi KAMURA
  • Patent number: 9046059
    Abstract: An electric vehicle includes engine in which the amount of fuel supply is controlled by a throttle, a generator that produces electricity using the power of the engine, a motor outputs power to a drive shaft, an EGR system that supplies gas, exhausted from the engine, to a manifold of the engine, a clutch that switches between the transmission and the non-transmission of power from the engine to the drive shaft, a sensor that measures the change of a pressure of the manifold before and after the EGR system supplies the gas to the manifold, and ECU that performs fault detection of the EGR system using the sensor when conditions, where a series mode is selected, the degree of opening of the throttle is constant, are satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Furuta, Hideo Matsunaga, Hitoshi Kamura, Kenji Saito
  • Publication number: 20150114361
    Abstract: If a pressure deviation ?P (amount of pressure decrease) after a first predetermined time period T1 has elapsed since a bypass valve (canister opening/closing valve) is controlled from an opened to closed state by actuating a negative pressure pump when the engine is stopped and a purge valve is opened is less than a first predetermined pressure P1, it is determined that the bypass valve is in an open sticking state, and if the pressure deviation ?P is not less than the first predetermined pressure P1, it is determined that the bypass valve is not in an open sticking state. Moreover, a pressure deviation ?P after a second predetermined time T2 has elapsed since the bypass valve is subsequently controlled to be opened decreases by not less than a second predetermined pressure P2, it is determined that the bypass valve 37 is not in a closed sticking state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2014
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hideo MATSUNAGA, Hitoshi KAMURA