Patents by Inventor Hidetsugu Kanao

Hidetsugu Kanao 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: 6880380
    Abstract: A failure diagnostic apparatus for an air-fuel ratio detecting device has an exhaust emission purifying device provided in an exhaust passage; an air-fuel ratio detecting unit for detecting the air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas from the purifying device; a first determination unit for determining that the air-fuel ratio is estimated to be rich for longer than a first predetermined period of time; a second determination unit for determining that the air-fuel ratio is estimated to be lean for longer than a second predetermined period of time; and a failure diagnosis device for determining that the air-fuel ratio detecting device has failed if a variation in the air-fuel ratio, calculated based on the detected air-fuel ratios until both the first and second determination units make the determinations, is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagashima, Kenji Saito, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6834227
    Abstract: When a first restoring pressure amount, measured after a fault diagnosis object region is in a reduced pressure state, exceeds a first or second judgment value, a second restoring pressure amount is measured by releasing the fault diagnosis object region to the atmosphere and then sealing it. When the first restoring pressure amount is between the first and second judgment values, the second restoring pressure amount is compared with a third judgment value. When the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the second judgment value, the second restoring pressure amount is compared with a fourth judgment value. Leak is determined to exist when the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the first judgment value and the second restoring pressure amount does not exceed the third judgment value, or when the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the second judgment value and the second restoring pressure amount does not exceed the fourth judgment value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6752011
    Abstract: In a thermostat failure diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a failure diagnosis of a thermostat can be effectively made, in the case where, after starting of the engine, an intake air quantity of the engine or a parameter related to the intake air quantity is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and a cooling water temperature is equal to or higher than an intake air temperature (outside air temperature), on the basis of a time in which a rising quantity in the cooling water temperature at an upstream side of the thermostat reaches a predetermined value, or a time in which the cooling water temperature rises to a predetermined temperature, the failure of the thermostat is judged. By this, the failure diagnosis of the thermostat can be rationally made only when the engine generating heat quantity is large to some degree to prevent erroneous diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Tateo Kume, Hidetsugu Kanao, Tomonobu Sakagami
  • Patent number: 6738709
    Abstract: A failure diagnostic system reduces the internal pressure of a fuel tank to a predetermined negative pressure, seals off the fuel tank from the air, and then determines whether an evaporated fuel processing system has failed or not by monitoring an increase in pressure in the fuel tank. In determination, the failure diagnostic system compares a detected pressure in the fuel tank with a reference value that is increased by a predetermined rate. The failure diagnostic system stops update of the detected pressure if the detected pressure becomes higher than the reference value, and resumes update of the detected pressure if the detected pressure becomes lower than the reference value. It is therefore possible to accurately determine whether the evaporated fuel processing system has failed or not even if the pressure in the fuel tank is rapidly increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 18, 2004
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Satoshi Nagashima, Yoichiro Ando, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Publication number: 20040068360
    Abstract: When a first restoring pressure amount, measured after a fault diagnosis object region is in a reduced pressure state, exceeds a first or second judgment value, a second restoring pressure amount is measured by releasing the fault diagnosis object region to the atmosphere and then sealing it. When the first restoring pressure amount is between the first and second judgment values, the second restoring pressure amount is compared with a third judgment value. When the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the second judgment value, the second restoring pressure amount is compared with a fourth judgment value. Leak is determined to exist when the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the first judgment value and the second restoring pressure amount does not exceed the third judgment value, or when the first restoring pressure amount exceeds the second judgment value and the second restoring pressure amount does not exceed the fourth judgment value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Publication date: April 8, 2004
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6651491
    Abstract: There is provided a failure diagnostic system of an evaporated fuel processing system, which comprises a first failure diagnostic device that shuts off an evaporated fuel purge passage connecting a fuel tank and an engine intake passage from the air and determines whether there is any leakage from a large hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank in which engine intake negative pressure is introduced; and a second failure diagnostic device that reduces a pressure the fuel tank to a predetermined negative pressure and seals off the fuel tank from the air to carry out failure diagnosis as to whether there is any leakage from a small hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank. An operating range of the second failure diagnostic device is set to substantially include an operating range of the first failure diagnostic device and to be extended from the operating range of the first failure diagnostic device to include a lower intake negative pressure range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Satoshi Nagashima, Yoichiro Ando, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Publication number: 20030140680
    Abstract: A failure diagnostic apparatus for an air-fuel ratio detecting device has an exhaust emission purifying device provided in an exhaust passage; an air-fuel ratio detecting unit for detecting the air-fuel ratio of an exhaust gas from the purifying device; a first determination unit for determining that the air-fuel ratio is estimated to be rich for longer than a first predetermined period of time; a second determination unit for determining that the air-fuel ratio is estimated to be lean for longer than a second predetermined period of time; and a failure diagnosis device for determining that the air-fuel ratio detecting device has failed if a variation in the air-fuel ratio, calculated based on the detected air-fuel ratios until both the first and second determination units make the determinations, is equal to or less than a predetermined value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2002
    Publication date: July 31, 2003
    Inventors: Satoshi Nagashima, Kenji Saito, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Publication number: 20030110848
    Abstract: In a thermostat failure diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a failure diagnosis of a thermostat can be effectively made, in the case where, after starting of the engine, an intake air quantity of the engine or a parameter related to the intake air quantity is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and a cooling water temperature is equal to or higher than an intake air temperature (outside air temperature), on the basis of a time in which a rising quantity in the cooling water temperature at an upstream side of the thermostat reaches a predetermined value, or a time in which the cooling water temperature rises to a predetermined temperature, the failure of the thermostat is judged.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2003
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI JIDOSHA KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Tateo Kume, Hidetsugu Kanao, Tomonobu Sakagami
  • Patent number: 6532808
    Abstract: In a thermostat failure diagnosis apparatus for an internal combustion engine in which a failure diagnosis of a thermostat can be effectively made, in the case where, after starting of the engine, an intake air quantity of the engine or a parameter related to the intake air quantity is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and a cooling water temperature is equal to or higher than an intake air temperature (outside air temperature), on the basis of a time in which a rising quantity in the cooling water temperature at an upstream side of the thermostat reaches a predetermined value, or a time in which the cooling water temperature rises to a predetermined temperature, the failure of the thermostat is judged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Yoshiaki Higuchi, Tateo Kume, Hidetsugu Kanao, Tomonobu Sakagami
  • Publication number: 20020189328
    Abstract: There is provided a failure diagnostic system of an evaporated fuel processing system, which comprises a first failure diagnostic device that shuts off an evaporated fuel purge passage connecting a fuel tank and an engine intake passage from the air and determines whether there is any leakage from a large hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank in which engine intake negative pressure is introduced; and a second failure diagnostic device that reduces a pressure in the fuel tank to a predetermined negative pressure and seals off the fuel tank from the air to carry out failure diagnosis as to whether there is any leakage from a small hole by monitoring the degree of increase in pressure in the fuel tank.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Satoshi Nagashima, Yoichiro Ando, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Publication number: 20020193936
    Abstract: There is provided a failure diagnostic system that reduces the internal pressure of a fuel tank to a predetermined negative pressure, seals off the fuel tank from the air, and then determines whether an evaporated fuel processing system has failed or not by monitoring an increase in pressure in the fuel tank. In determination, the failure diagnostic system compares a detected pressure in the fuel tank with a reference value that is increased by a predetermined rate. The failure diagnostic system stops update of the detected pressure if the detected pressure has become higher than the reference value, and resumes update of the detected pressure if the detected pressure has become lower than the reference value. It is therefore possible to accurately determine whether the evaporated fuel processing system has failed or not even if the pressure in the fuel tank is rapidly increased.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Inventors: Kenji Saito, Satoshi Nagashima, Yoichiro Ando, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 6397824
    Abstract: A fault diagnosing apparatus for evapopurge systems, including a device adapted to detect a pressure in the interior of an evapopassage including a fuel tank, a depressurization device adapted to close a first valve provided in an atmosphere-opened port of a canister and depressurize the interior of the evapopassage by a negative pressure occurring in a suction passage of an internal combustion engine, a repressurization device adapted to close a second valve after the operation of the depressurization device finishes, to repressurize the interior of the evapopassage, and a fault judgement device adapted to allow a judgement, which is based on an output from the pressure detecting device, that an evapopurge system is abnormal to be given on condition that the depressurization and repressurization devices are operated plural times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Takatsuka, Hidetsugu Kanao, Tomonobu Sakagami, Kenji Saito, Tateo Kume, Haruki Fukuda
  • Patent number: 5754971
    Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus for a fuel evaporative emission suppressing system has an electronic control unit which inputs an average value of integral terms for air-fuel ratio feedback control, engine speed, etc. when diagnosis executing conditions are satisfied, and then starts opening operation of a purge control valve. Subsequently, the average value of integral terms, engine speed, etc. are input again. If no substantial change occurs in the average value, etc. with driving of the purge control valve, it is concluded that purge air for fault diagnosis has not been introduced, and that the suppressing system is faulty. In driving the purge control valve, its driving duty ratio is increased by a relatively small increment till the driving duty ratio reaches a predetermined duty ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 19, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Mitsuhiro Miyake, Toru Hashimoto, Toshiro Nomura, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 5732552
    Abstract: A deterioration diagnostic apparatus for a three-way catalyst includes an electronic control unit, which obtains a frequency of reversals of the changing direction in which the output of an upstream-side O.sub.2 sensor changes, based on the number of times the output voltage of the O.sub.2 sensor crosses a threshold. Also, the control unit obtains a frequency of reversals of the changing direction in which the output of a downstream-side O.sub.2 sensor changes, based on the number of times the output voltage of the downstream-side O.sub.2 sensor crosses upper and lower reversal reference values which are obtained by adding and subtracting a hysteresis constant to and from an average value of input values of the downstream-side O.sub.2 sensor output voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Toru Hashimoto, Mitsuhiro Miyake, Toshiro Nomura, Hidetsugu Kanao
  • Patent number: 5575267
    Abstract: A fault diagnosis apparatus for detecting a fault in a fuel evaporative emission suppressing system comprises an electronic control unit. When fault diagnosis execution conditions are fulfilled, the electronic control unit stores an average of integral term values for air-fuel ratio feedback control, operating position of an idling speed control valve, and engine speed, and then actuates a purge control valve of the suppressing system so that the valve opens. In a predetermined time period after the actuation of the purge control valve, the integral term average and the like are stored again. If any changes of the integral term average and other values caused by the actuation of the purge control valve are detected, the suppressing system is concluded to be normal. If no changes are detected, on the other hand, the suppressing system is concluded to be faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takuya Matsumoto, Toru Hashimoto, Mitsuhiro Miyake, Hitoshi Kamura, Yasuhisa Yoshida, Hidetsugu Kanao, Toshiro Nomura
  • Patent number: 4813408
    Abstract: An engine cooling device comprises an oil jacket surrounding a cylinder portion of an engine, an oil gallery supplying high-pressure oil to various parts of the engine, and an oil pressure regulator disposed between the oil jacket and the oil gallery to reduce the pressure of the high-pressure oil supplied from the oil gallery and to supply the oil at a reduced pressure to the oil jacket. Thus, the required mechanical strength of the oil jacket can be decreased to decrease the weight of the engine cylinder block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 1987
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1989
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takehiko Katsumoto, Yoshiaki Danno, Daisuke Sanbayashi, Takashi Dogahara, Hidetsugu Kanao, Katsuo Akishino, Osamu Hirako, Hiroshi Kamada, Taizou Kitada, Masahiko Matsuda, Nobuaki Shimizu, Masaji Asada, Yoshinari Fukami, Takaaki Hirano