Patents by Inventor Hiroatsu Endo

Hiroatsu Endo 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: 10300780
    Abstract: A support structure for rotating shafts of a vehicle, including: a drive shaft operatively connected to a power transmitting shaft to which a drive force of an engine is transmitted; and a rotor shaft of an electric motor spline-coupled to the drive shaft, each of the rotor shaft of the electric motor and the drive shaft is being supported by at least one bearing, in the support structure, one of the rotor shaft and the drive shaft is constituted by a first rotary shaft and a second rotary shaft which are operatively connected to each other, and an elastic member is interposed between the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft such that the first and second rotary shafts are operatively spline-connected to each other through the elastic member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu Yokouchi, Hiroki Kuwamoto, Haruo Isomura, Akitaka Ichikawa, Hiroatsu Endo
  • Publication number: 20180257476
    Abstract: A support structure for rotating shafts of a vehicle, including: a drive shaft operatively connected to a power transmitting shaft to which a drive force of an engine is transmitted; and a rotor shaft of an electric motor spline-coupled to the drive shaft, each of the rotor shaft of the electric motor and the drive shaft is being supported by at least one bearing, in the support structure, one of the rotor shaft and the drive shaft is constituted by a first rotary shaft and a second rotary shaft which are operatively connected to each other, and an elastic member is interposed between the first rotary shaft and the second rotary shaft such that the first and second rotary shafts are operatively spline-connected to each other through the elastic member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2015
    Publication date: September 13, 2018
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yoshimitsu YOKOUCHI, Hiroki KUWAMOTO, Haruo ISOMURA, Akitaka ICHIKAWA, Hiroatsu ENDO
  • Patent number: 9694661
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor generator, a dynamic damper, and a power split mechanism. The dynamic damper includes an output-side rotating member, a spring element, and a second motor generator connected to the output-side rotating member so as to transmit the power. The dynamic damper is configured by connecting the output-side rotating member and the second motor generator via the spring element. The power split mechanism splits a power from the engine to the first motor generator and to the output-side rotating member. The control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit configured to change execution modes of rattling noise suppression control based on a spring characteristic of the dynamic damper. The rattling noise suppression control is a control to suppress rattling noise resulting from rotational fluctuations of the engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenji Miyasaka, Hiroatsu Endo, Hiromichi Chuujou
  • Patent number: 9227627
    Abstract: A control apparatus is applied to a hybrid vehicle having a driving apparatus including a power split mechanism which splits torque of an internal combustion engine into a first MG and output portion, and a motor lock mechanism which switches a state of the power split mechanism between a differential state in which the torque of the internal combustion engine splits into the first MG and output portion and a non-differential state in which it is stopped to split the torque. The hybrid vehicle switches a driving mode between a first driving mode in which the power split mechanism is switched to the differential state and a second driving mode in which the power split mechanism is switched to the non-differential state. The control apparatus calculates energy loss of the driving apparatus in each driving mode, and switches the driving mode of the vehicle based on the calculated energy loss.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Matsumoto, Hiroatsu Endo, Tetsuo Hori, Akihiro Sato
  • Publication number: 20150283994
    Abstract: A control apparatus is applied to a hybrid vehicle having a driving apparatus including a power split mechanism which splits torque of an internal combustion engine into a first MG and output portion, and a motor lock mechanism which switches a state of the power split mechanism between a differential state in which the torque of the internal combustion engine splits into the first MG and output portion and a non-differential state in which it is stopped to split the torque. The hybrid vehicle switches a driving mode between a first driving mode in which the power split mechanism is switched to the differential state and a second driving mode in which the power split mechanism is switched to the non-differential state. The control apparatus calculates energy loss of the driving apparatus in each driving mode, and switches the driving mode of the vehicle based on the calculated energy loss.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ryo Matsumoto, Hiroatsu Endo, Tetsuo Hori, Akihiro Sato
  • Patent number: 9096118
    Abstract: A drive device of a hybrid vehicle includes an engine and an electric motor acting as power sources, and further includes: a first rotating member coupled to the electric motor; a second rotating member to which power from the engine is transmitted; and a gear pair made up of helical gears formed on the first rotating member and the second rotating member to couple the first rotating member and the second rotating member in a power transmittable manner, within a case, an inner wall extending from an outer wall of the case toward an inside of the case is in the case, and an elastic member pressing the first rotating member toward the inner wall is provided in a preloaded state between the first rotating member and the inner wall.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 4, 2015
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hori, Hiroatsu Endo, Kenji Miyasaka
  • Publication number: 20150073640
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle includes an engine, a first motor generator, a dynamic damper, and a power split mechanism. The dynamic damper includes an output-side rotating member, a spring element, and a second motor generator connected to the output-side rotating member so as to transmit the power. The dynamic damper is configured by connecting the output-side rotating member and the second motor generator via the spring element. The power split mechanism splits a power from the engine to the first motor generator and to the output-side rotating member. The control device includes an electronic control unit. The electronic control unit configured to change execution modes of rattling noise suppression control based on a spring characteristic of the dynamic damper. The rattling noise suppression control is a control to suppress rattling noise resulting from rotational fluctuations of the engine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: March 12, 2015
    Inventors: Kenji Miyasaka, Hiroatsu Endo, Hiromichi Chuujou
  • Publication number: 20150024902
    Abstract: A drive device of a hybrid vehicle includes an engine and an electric motor acting as power sources, and further includes: a first rotating member coupled to the electric motor; a second rotating member to which power from the engine is transmitted; and a gear pair made up of helical gears formed on the first rotating member and the second rotating member to couple the first rotating member and the second rotating member in a power transmittable manner, within a case, an inner wall extending from an outer wall of the case toward an inside of the case is in the case, and an elastic member pressing the first rotating member toward the inner wall is provided in a preloaded state between the first rotating member and the inner wall.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 22, 2015
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hori, Hiroatsu Endo, Kenji Miyasaka
  • Patent number: 8914185
    Abstract: An ECU is connected to a multi-system shift sensor detecting a shift lever position in a shift direction associated with detection of the R position, and to a multi-system select sensor detecting a shift lever position in a select direction not associated with detection of the R position. When only one or more, but not all, of sensors in the select sensor are abnormal, the ECU controls the shift range according to the shift position detected based on the remaining proper sensor. When only one or more of sensors in the shift sensor are abnormal, the ECU maintains the current range until an operation of a shift lever is detected, and switches the shift range to the N range at the point of time of detecting an operation of the shift lever.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Ueno, Ichiro Kitaori, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hiroatsu Endo, Takashi Yuma, Masayuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 8801568
    Abstract: Controlling a hybrid vehicle includes: reducing a rotation speed of a motor generator before a locking apparatus that locks the motor generator is switched from a disengaged condition to an engaged condition; starting to switch the locking apparatus to the engaged condition when the rotation speed decreases to a predetermined operation permission rotation speed; controlling the locking apparatus such that from the start of the switch to the engaged condition onward, the rotation speed decreases from the operation permission rotation speed to an engagement rotation speed with the motor generator in the engaged condition; and controlling the locking apparatus such that a decrease rate of the rotation speed when switching from the disengaged condition to the engaged condition in a low torque operation mode is higher than the decrease rate of the rotation speed when switching from the disengaged condition to the engaged condition in a high torque operation mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hori, Hiroatsu Endo, Isao Sato, Hiroki Kuwamoto, Akihiro Sato, Ryo Watanabe
  • Publication number: 20140179488
    Abstract: Controlling a hybrid vehicle includes: reducing a rotation speed of a motor generator before a locking apparatus that locks the motor generator is switched from a disengaged condition to an engaged condition; starting to switch the locking apparatus to the engaged condition when the rotation speed decreases to a predetermined operation permission rotation speed; controlling the locking apparatus such that from the start of the switch to the engaged condition onward, the rotation speed decreases from the operation permission rotation speed to an engagement rotation speed with the motor generator in the engaged condition; and controlling the locking apparatus such that a decrease rate of the rotation speed when switching from the disengaged condition to the engaged condition in a low torque operation mode is higher than the decrease rate of the rotation speed when switching from the disengaged condition to the engaged condition in a high torque operation mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tetsuo Hori, Hiroatsu Endo, Isao Sato, Hiroki Kuwamoto, Akihiro Sato, Ryo Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8734295
    Abstract: A vehicular shift control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a parking lock device selectively switched to a locking position in which rotation of wheels of the vehicle is prevented and a non-locking position in which the rotation of the wheels is not prevented, by an operation of an electrically operated actuator, the vehicular shift control apparatus being configured to perform a failure diagnosis to determine whether the actuator is operable or not, the vehicular shift control apparatus includes: the vehicular shift control apparatus permits the operation of the actuator if a supply voltage to the actuator is raised from a value lower than a predetermined threshold supply voltage value to a value not lower than the threshold supply voltage value after a determination that the actuator is inoperable is obtained in the failure diagnosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Osamu Kanai, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Ichiro Kitaori, Toshinari Suzuki, Hiroatsu Endo, Koki Ueno, Keisuke Sekiya
  • Patent number: 8676433
    Abstract: A control device for a vehicle hydraulic control circuit having a hydraulic switch disposed on a hydraulic control circuit of an automatic transmission, includes: a malfunction detecting portion configured to detect a malfunction of the hydraulic switch; and a malfunction removing portion configured to execute an operation for restoring a contact of the hydraulic switch when a malfunction of the hydraulic switch is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroatsu Endo, Masatoshi Ito
  • Patent number: 8676460
    Abstract: A shift control device is provided for a vehicle of shift-by-wire type having shift operation detecting means electrically detecting a shift operation of a driver, range switching means switching a shift range in response to the shift operation of the driver, failure detecting means detecting a failure in a shift operation detection executed by the shift operation detecting means, and vehicle state detecting means detecting a vehicle state upon detection of the failure in the shift operation detection, the range switching means being switched to a fail-safe mode, when the shift operation detection is recovered from a failed state to a normal state and the range switching means is switched from the fail-safe mode to a normal control mode, a recovery condition for determining switching of the fail-safe mode to the normal control mode being altered depending on the vehicle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2014
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Ueno, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Ichiro Kitaori, Hiroatsu Endo, Takashi Yuma, Masayuki Matsui
  • Patent number: 8620542
    Abstract: It is provided a vehicle shift control apparatus that electrically controls switchover of a shift range of a transmission based on a position signal corresponding to an operational position in a shift operating device, the vehicle shift control apparatus being capable of storing therein a determination result of whether the position signal is normal or abnormal, the shift range being switched based on the position signal acquired when a vehicle electric power supply is turned on if a memory of the determination result is retained when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on, the shift range not being switched based on the position signal acquired when the vehicle electric power supply is turned on if the memory of the determination result is not retained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koki Ueno, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Hiroatsu Endo
  • Patent number: 8528676
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid drive system including a main drive power source, an electric generator, a wheel-side output shaft, a power distributing mechanism for distributing the drive force of the main drive power source to the electric generator, the wheel-side output shaft and an automatic transmission, and an electric motor connected to the wheel-side output shaft through the automatic transmission, the control apparatus including a motor-output limitation control device for implementing an output limitation of the electric motor according to a requirement for the output limitation, and a motor-output limitation inhibiting device to inhibit the output limitation of the electric motor by the motor-output limitation control device, during a shift-up action of the automatic transmission, or a motor-output increasing device to control the electric motor to increase its output so as to offset the output limitation of the electric motor implemented by the motor-output limitation control device according t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroatsu Endo, Kentaro Kakuse
  • Patent number: 8356513
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides an anomaly detection apparatus for an automatic transmission, the automatic transmission including an electrically-operated oil pump that is rotationally driven by an electric motor, including: a solenoid that is capable of switching a line pressure of a hydraulic control circuit that controls the automatic transmission between a high pressure and a low pressure; and an oil pressure switch that is turned on or off in response to the line pressure, wherein, in response to an oil pressure command value, whether the oil pressure switch is turned on or off according to the oil pressure command value is determined, and the determination and a load state of the electrically-operated oil pump are compared so as to distinctively determine in which of the solenoid and the oil pressure switch, an anomaly has occurred.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Taihei Wakamatsu, Yoshitaka Suzuki, Hiroatsu Endo
  • Publication number: 20120309590
    Abstract: A vehicular shift control apparatus for a vehicle provided with a parking lock device selectively switched to a locking position in which rotation of wheels of the vehicle is prevented and a non-locking position in which the rotation of the wheels is not prevented, by an operation of an electrically operated actuator, the vehicular shift control apparatus being configured to perform a failure diagnosis to determine whether the actuator is operable or not, the vehicular shift control apparatus includes: the vehicular shift control apparatus permits the operation of the actuator if a supply voltage to the actuator is raised from a value lower than a predetermined threshold supply voltage value to a value not lower than the threshold supply voltage value after a determination that the actuator is inoperable is obtained in the failure diagnosis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Inventors: Osamu KANAI, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Ichiro Kitaori, Toshinari Suzuki, Hiroatsu Endo, Koki Ueno, Keisuke Sekiya
  • Patent number: 8123655
    Abstract: The technique of the invention is applied to a motor vehicle where an engine and a first motor are linked to a driveshaft via a planetary gear mechanism, a second motor is linked to the driveshaft via a transmission, and a battery is arranged to receive and transmit electric power from and to the first motor and the second motor. In response to a deviation of the charge-discharge state of the battery from an allowable control range set as an allowable charge state range of the battery during an upshift, gear change control of the invention sets a gearshift condition change flag F1 to 1 (step S360) and sets a value N2 having a smaller absolute value than a value N1 to a target rotation speed change ?Nm2* of the second motor (step S380). The gear change control then sets a hydraulic pressure command Pb1* of a brake B1 included in the transmission to make an actual rotation speed change ?Nm2 of the second motor approach to the target rotation speed change ?Nm2* (step S400).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2012
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroatsu Endo
  • Publication number: 20120022756
    Abstract: A shift control device is provided for a vehicle of shift-by-wire type having shift operation detecting means electrically detecting a shift operation of a driver, range switching means switching a shift range in response to the shift operation of the driver, failure detecting means detecting a failure in a shift operation detection executed by the shift operation detecting means, and vehicle state detecting means detecting a vehicle state upon detection of the failure in the shift operation detection, the range switching means being switched to a fail-safe mode, when the shift operation detection is recovered from a failed state to a normal state and the range switching means is switched from the fail-safe mode to a normal control mode, a recovery condition for determining switching of the fail-safe mode to the normal control mode being altered depending on the vehicle state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2010
    Publication date: January 26, 2012
    Inventors: Koki Ueno, Takahiko Tsutsumi, Ichiro Kitaori, Hiroatsu Endo, Takashi Yuma, Masayuki Matsui