Patents by Inventor Hikari Todoroki

Hikari Todoroki 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: 7631493
    Abstract: A diesel particulate filter (14) which traps particulate matter and a NOx trap catalyst (13) which traps nitrogen oxides are installed in series in an exhaust passage (10) of a diesel engine (1). A controller (21) calculates a particulate matter deposition amount in the diesel particulate filter (14) (S4). The controller (21), when the particulate matter deposition amount exceeds a first predetermined amount (PM2), prevents sharp increase of the particulate matter deposition amount by prohibiting rich spike where the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas is controlled to a value corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio in order to regenerate the NOx trap catalyst (13) (S301, S302, S306), and prevents the particulate matter deposition amount of the diesel particulate filter (14) from reaching a limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Hikari Todoroki
  • Patent number: 7305828
    Abstract: A controller (70) controls the boost pressure of an internal combustion engine (60) comprising two intake/exhaust units, each intake/exhaust unit comprising a turbocharger (10) which supercharges intake air in an intake passage (20) using exhaust energy in an exhaust passage (30), and an exhaust gas recirculating device (40, 41) which recirculates a part of the exhaust gas in the exhaust passage to the intake passage. The controller (70) calculates an opening difference between valves in the two units (S121), and controls a regulating device (13) in each of the two units on the basis of this opening difference (S123-S125). As a result, the boost pressures of the turbochargers (10) match, and hence an equal amount of NOx can be discharged from each exhaust passage (30), and the NOx can be purified favorably by a catalyst.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hikari Todoroki, Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 7296561
    Abstract: In order to prevent the generation of surge noise or other abnormal phenomena during deceleration of a vehicle, the present engine control apparatus comprises a turbo-supercharger driven by exhaust energy of the engine, at least one of an NOx trap catalyzer and a DPF mounted in the exhaust path of the engine for purifying the exhaust, an EGR path interconnecting the exhaust path and the inlet path of the engine, an EGR valve for adjusting the cross-section of the duct of the EGR path, means for detecting deceleration, and a fuel cutoff control means that, if predetermined conditions are satisfied, effects fuel cutoff control to reduces the rate of fuel injection, wherein the EGR valve is closed during the period of vehicle deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Hikari Todoroki
  • Publication number: 20060137327
    Abstract: A diesel particulate filter (14) which traps particulate matter and a NOx trap catalyst (13) which traps nitrogen oxides are installed in series in an exhaust passage (10) of a diesel engine (1). A controller (21) calculates a particulate matter deposition amount in the diesel particulate filter (14) (S4). The controller (21), when the particulate matter deposition amount exceeds a first predetermined amount (PM2), prevents sharp increase of the particulate matter deposition amount by prohibiting rich spike where the oxygen concentration of the exhaust gas is controlled to a value corresponding to a rich air-fuel ratio in order to regenerate the NOx trap catalyst (13) (S301, S302, S306), and prevents the particulate matter deposition amount of the diesel particulate filter (14) from reaching a limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Hikari Todoroki
  • Publication number: 20060137660
    Abstract: In order to prevent the generation of surge noise or other abnormal phenomena during deceleration of a vehicle, the present engine control apparatus comprises a turbo-supercharger driven by exhaust energy of the engine, at least one of an NOx trap catalyzer and a DPF mounted in the exhaust path of the engine for purifying the exhaust, an EGR path interconnecting the exhaust path and the inlet path of the engine, an EGR valve for adjusting the cross-section of the duct of the EGR path, means for detecting deceleration, and a fuel cutoff control means that, if predetermined conditions are satisfied, effects fuel cutoff control to reduces the rate of fuel injection, wherein the EGR valve is closed during the period of vehicle deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Takashi Shirakawa, Yasutaka Ishibashi, Hikari Todoroki
  • Publication number: 20060117751
    Abstract: A controller (70) controls the boost pressure of an internal combustion engine (60) comprising two intake/exhaust units, each intake/exhaust unit comprising a turbocharger (10) which supercharges intake air in an intake passage (20) using exhaust energy in an exhaust passage (30), and an exhaust gas recirculating device (40, 41) which recirculates a part of the exhaust gas in the exhaust passage to the intake passage. The controller (70) calculates an opening difference between valves in the two units (S121), and controls a regulating device (13) in each of the two units on the basis of this opening difference (S123-S125). As a result, the boost pressures of the turbochargers (10) match, and hence an equal amount of NOx can be discharged from each exhaust passage (30), and the NOx can be purified favorably by a catalyst.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Inventors: Hikari Todoroki, Hiroyuki Itoyama
  • Patent number: 7054734
    Abstract: In a combustion control system of an engine employing an exhaust purifying device, a control unit determines, based on an operating condition of the exhaust purifying device, whether a request for an exhaust temperature rise is present. The control unit executes, by way of fuel injection control in presence of the request of the exhaust temperature rise, a split retard combustion mode in which a main combustion needed to produce a main engine torque and at least one preliminary combustion occurring prior to the main combustion are both achieved, and the preliminary combustion occurs near top dead center on a compression stroke, and the main combustion initiates after completion of the preliminary combustion. The control unit executes a fail-safe process that an injection timing of main fuel injection is phase-advanced, when a predicted temperature value of the exhaust purifying device exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hikari Todoroki, Manabu Miura
  • Publication number: 20050027431
    Abstract: In a combustion control system of an engine employing an exhaust purifying device, a control unit determines, based on an operating condition of the exhaust purifying device, whether a request for an exhaust temperature rise is present. The control unit executes, by way of fuel injection control in presence of the request of the exhaust temperature rise, a split retard combustion mode in which a main combustion needed to produce a main engine torque and at least one preliminary combustion occurring prior to the main combustion are both achieved, and the preliminary combustion occurs near top dead center on a compression stroke, and the main combustion initiates after completion of the preliminary combustion. The control unit executes a fail-safe process that an injection timing of main fuel injection is phase-advanced, when a predicted temperature value of the exhaust purifying device exceeds a predetermined threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 30, 2004
    Publication date: February 3, 2005
    Inventors: Hikari Todoroki, Manabu Miura