Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Michioka
Hirofumi Michioka 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: 8825318Abstract: In a control device for an automatic transmission having a flow control mechanism that causes a part of a working oil discharged from a mechanical oil pump to flow into the mechanical oil pump when a differential pressure between an upstream side and a downstream side of a narrowed portion increases beyond a predetermined value, the narrowed portion being provided in a discharge passage through which the working oil discharged from the mechanical oil pump flows, a line pressure is raised when an oil temperature of the working oil is equal to or higher than a predetermined oil temperature and an engine torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined engine torque.Type: GrantFiled: February 2, 2011Date of Patent: September 2, 2014Assignees: Jatco Ltd, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.Inventors: Takashige Hinami, Masaki Watanabe, Yasutaka Kawamura, Kazuya Murota, Hirofumi Michioka
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Publication number: 20110230285Abstract: In a control device for an automatic transmission having a flow control mechanism that causes a part of a working oil discharged from a mechanical oil pump to flow into the mechanical oil pump when a differential pressure between an upstream side and a downstream side of a narrowed portion increases beyond a predetermined value, the narrowed portion being provided in a discharge passage through which the working oil discharged from the mechanical oil pump flows, a line pressure is raised when an oil temperature of the working oil is equal to or higher than a predetermined oil temperature and an engine torque is equal to or smaller than a predetermined engine torque.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 2, 2011Publication date: September 22, 2011Inventors: Takashige HINAMI, Masaki Watanabe, Yasutaka Kawamura, Kazuya Murota, Hirofumi Michioka
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Patent number: 7857728Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission including a plurality of frictional elements each arranged to be engaged by receiving supply of an engagement pressure regulated by a solenoid, and being arranged to attain a plurality of gear stages by combination of engagements of the frictional elements, the control apparatus includes a failure occurrence sensing section configured to sense an occurrence of a failure-induced disengagement in one of the frictional elements based on a failure of one of the solenoids, based on an engine racing by a depression of an accelerator pedal in a state in which ranges other than a parking range and a neutral range are selected during a stop of a vehicle; and a command output section configured to output a limp home mode command to attain one of the gear stages to enable the vehicle to start.Type: GrantFiled: September 6, 2007Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: JATCO LtdInventors: Hajime Tasaka, Hirofumi Michioka, Fumitaka Nagashima, Yutaka Tohyama, Jun Kagawa
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Patent number: 7803081Abstract: In system and method of controlling an automatic transmission that includes a lowest gear-stage friction element and has a lowest gear stage having a largest gear ratio and a gear stage other than the lowest gear stage, the lowest gear stage being established through engagement of the lowest gear-stage friction element, the gear stage other than the lowest gear stage being established while the lowest gear-stage friction element is kept in disengagement, a temperature of working oil in the automatic transmission is sensed, and use of the lowest gear stage is inhibited and use of the gear stage other than the lowest gear stage is allowed when the sensed temperature of the working oil is lower than a first predetermined temperature as a predetermined extremely low temperature at which an engagement failure of the lowest gear-stage friction element is caused.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2007Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: Jatco LtdInventors: Tomoharu Watanabe, Hirofumi Michioka, Kazunari Otake
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Patent number: 7637844Abstract: An automatic transmission control system is provided with a disengagement malfunction determining section and a disengagement malfunction preventing section in an automatic transmission in which the frictional engaging elements are selectively engaged and disengaged to change a rotational speed of a main power source. The disengagement malfunction determining section determines a disengagement malfunction with a first frictional engaging element from among a plurality of frictional engaging elements of the automatic transmission.Type: GrantFiled: December 26, 2006Date of Patent: December 29, 2009Assignee: JATCO LtdInventors: Hajime Tasaka, Fumitaka Nagashima, Hirofumi Michioka
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Patent number: 7517302Abstract: There is provided a fail control apparatus for an automatic transmission, which, in the event of a friction element failure, is capable of coping with the failure by identifying a failed part without erroneous determination and within a short time. The set gear ratio of a designated gear position at the time of failure and the actual gear ratio are compared with each other to determine whether a friction element has failed, and an alternative gear position which enables a vehicle to start moving again is designated based on the determination result. In determining a failed friction element, one friction element disengaged or engaged due to failure is identified only when the designated gear position is the first speed gear position which is achieved by engaging one low clutch and a one-way clutch. It is therefore possible to determine the details of failure with accuracy and properly set an alternative gear position.Type: GrantFiled: September 14, 2006Date of Patent: April 14, 2009Assignee: Jatco LtdInventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Hirofumi Michioka, Hajime Tasaka
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Patent number: 7402123Abstract: In an automatic transmission control system and method, an electronic control unit is programmed to output a command to establish another gear stage different from the gear stage at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement by combination of engagements of the friction elements other than the friction elements to be engaged at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement, and simultaneously output a plurality of commands to establish a plurality of gear stages corresponding to combination of engagements of the friction elements to be engaged and disengaged, respectively, at the gear stage at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement, when the gear stage at the time of occurrence of the fault-induced disengagement is a predetermined gear stage and the friction element undergoing the fault-induced disengagement is not determined.Type: GrantFiled: May 31, 2006Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignee: Jatco LtdInventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Hajime Tasaka, Hirofumi Michioka
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Patent number: 7383805Abstract: A cylinder liner for insert casting and a method for manufacturing the cylinder liner are provided. The cylinder liner and the method are applied to cylinder blocks and improve the adherence and the bonding strength with a cylinder block material in a favorable manner. The cylinder liner satisfies the following requirements: (i) the height of projections 1P is in a range between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm, inclusive; (ii) the number of the projections 1P is in a range between 5 and 60, inclusive, per cm2 on the outer circumferential surface; (iii) the area ratio of regions each encircled by a contour line of a height of 0.4 mm is in a range between 10% and 50%, inclusive; (iv) the area ratio of regions each encircled by a contour line of a height of 0.2 mm is in a range between 20% and 55%, inclusive; (v) the region each encircled by a contour line of the height of 0.4 are independent from each other; and (vi) the area of the regions each encircled by a contour line of the height of 0.4 mm is in a range between 0.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2005Date of Patent: June 10, 2008Assignees: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha, Teikoku Piston Ring Co., Ltd., Teipi Industry Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hirofumi Michioka, Toshihiro Takami, Kazunari Takenaka, Takashi Kurauchi, Norihiko Tomioka, Isao Katou, Hiroshi Muraki, Shunya Hattori, Giichiro Saito, Kiyoharu Oizumi
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Publication number: 20080076632Abstract: In system and method of controlling an automatic transmission that includes a lowest gear-stage friction element and has a lowest gear stage having a largest gear ratio and a gear stage other than the lowest gear stage, the lowest gear stage being established through engagement of the lowest gear-stage friction element, the gear stage other than the lowest gear stage being established while the lowest gear-stage friction element is kept in disengagement, a temperature of working oil in the automatic transmission is sensed, and use of the lowest gear stage is inhibited and use of the gear stage other than the lowest gear stage is allowed when the sensed temperature of the working oil is lower than a first predetermined temperature as a predetermined extremely low temperature at which an engagement failure of the lowest gear-stage friction element is caused.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2007Publication date: March 27, 2008Inventors: Tomoharu Watanabe, Hirofumi Michioka, Kazunari Otake
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Publication number: 20080058157Abstract: A control apparatus for an automatic transmission including a plurality of frictional elements each arranged to be engaged by receiving supply of an engagement pressure regulated by a solenoid, and being arranged to attain a plurality of gear stages by combination of engagements of the frictional elements, the control apparatus includes a failure occurrence sensing section configured to sense an occurrence of a failure-induced disengagement in one of the frictional elements based on a failure of one of the solenoids, based on an engine racing by a depression of an accelerator pedal in a state in which ranges other than a parking range and a neutral range are selected during a stop of a vehicle; and a command output section configured to output a limp home mode command to attain one of the gear stages to enable the vehicle to start.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 6, 2007Publication date: March 6, 2008Inventors: Hajime TASAKA, Hirofumi Michioka, Fumitaka Nagashima, Yutaka Tohyama, Jun Kagawa
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Publication number: 20070240652Abstract: A cylinder liner for insert casting and a method for manufacturing the cylinder liner are provided. The cylinder liner and the method are applied to cylinder blocks and improve the adherence and the bonding strength with a cylinder block material in a favorable manner. The cylinder liner satisfies the following requirements: (i) the height of projections 1P is in a range between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm, inclusive; (ii) the number of the projections 1P is in a range between 5 and 60, inclusive, per cm2 on the outer circumferential surface; (iii) the area ratio of regions each encircled by a contour line of a height of 0.4 mm is in a range between 10% and 50%, inclusive; (iv) the area ratio of regions each encircled by a contour line of a height of 0.2 mm is in a range between 20% and 55%, inclusive; (v) the region each encircled by a contour line of the height of 0.4 are independent from each other; and (vi) the area of the regions each encircled by a contour line of the height of 0.4 mm is in a range between 0.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2005Publication date: October 18, 2007Inventors: Hirofumi Michioka, Toshihiro Takami, Kazunari Takenaka, Takashi Kurauchi, Norihiko Tomioka, Isao Katou, Hiroshi Muraki, Shunya Hattori, Giichiro Saito, Kiyoharu Oizumi
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Publication number: 20070213164Abstract: An automatic transmission control system is provided with a disengagement malfunction determining section and a disengagement malfunction preventing section in an automatic transmission in which the frictional engaging elements are selectively engaged and disengaged to change a rotational speed of a main power source. The disengagement malfunction determining section determines a disengagement malfunction with a first frictional engaging element from among a plurality of frictional engaging elements of the automatic transmission.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2006Publication date: September 13, 2007Applicant: JATCO Ltd.Inventors: Hajime Tasaka, Fumitaka Nagashima, Hirofumi Michioka
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Publication number: 20070143996Abstract: A cylinder block has a metal film on an inner circumferential surface of each cylinder. The film is constituted by a first sprayed layer formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and a second sprayed layer formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first sprayed layer. The hardness of the second sprayed layer is lower than the hardness of the first sprayed layer. It is preferred that the second sprayed layer have a Vickers hardness of 50 to 200. It is preferred that the first sprayed layer have a Vickers hardness of not less than 350. It is preferred that the first sprayed layer have a thickness of 400 ?m to 500 ?m. A method of manufacturing a cylinder block includes the step of casting a cylinder block, which involves casting the cylinder in the cylinder block, the step of forming the first sprayed layer on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and the step of forming the second sprayed layer on the inner circumferential surface of the first sprayed layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2007Publication date: June 28, 2007Inventor: Hirofumi Michioka
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Publication number: 20070066445Abstract: There is provided a fail control apparatus for an automatic transmission, which, in the event of a friction element failure, is capable of coping with the failure by identifying a failed part without erroneous determination and within a short time. The set gear ratio of a designated gear position at the time of failure and the actual gear ratio are compared with each other to determine whether a friction element has failed, and an alternative gear position which enables a vehicle to start moving again is designated based on the determination result. In determining a failed friction element, one friction element disengaged or engaged due to failure is identified only when the designated gear position is the first speed gear position which is achieved by engaging one low clutch and a one-way clutch. It is therefore possible to determine the details of failure with accuracy and properly set an alternative gear position.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 14, 2006Publication date: March 22, 2007Applicant: JATCO LtdInventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Hirofumi Michioka, Hajime Tasaka
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Publication number: 20060270515Abstract: In an automatic transmission control system and method, an electronic control unit is programmed to output a command to establish another gear stage different from the gear stage at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement by combination of engagements of the friction elements other than the friction elements to be engaged at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement, and simultaneously output a plurality of commands to establish a plurality of gear stages corresponding to combination of engagements of the friction elements to be engaged and disengaged, respectively, at the gear stage at the time of occurrence of fault-induced disengagement, when the gear stage at the time of occurrence of the fault-induced disengagement is a predetermined gear stage and the friction element undergoing the fault-induced disengagement is not determined.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 31, 2006Publication date: November 30, 2006Inventors: Hiroyuki Kobayashi, Hajime Tasaka, Hirofumi Michioka
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Patent number: 7059988Abstract: A servo system employs at least two multiple disk clutches arranged in series to each other in an axial direction and at least two pistons used for engagement and disengagement of the respective clutches and arranged to be nested each other so that one of the pistons fits inside the other. Also provided is a servo system control device with a piston-stroke order control section. The piston-stroke order control section determines a timing of operation of each of the pistons for engagement of the respective clutches so that the pistons are operated in a specified order that the outside piston is operated prior to the inside piston.Type: GrantFiled: July 2, 2004Date of Patent: June 13, 2006Assignee: JATCO LtdInventor: Hirofumi Michioka
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Publication number: 20050235944Abstract: A cylinder block has a metal film on an inner circumferential surface of each cylinder. The film is constituted by a first sprayed layer formed on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder and a second sprayed layer formed on the inner circumferential surface of the first sprayed layer. The hardness of the second sprayed layer is lower than the hardness of the first sprayed layer. It is preferred that the second sprayed layer have a Vickers hardness of 50 to 200. It is preferred that the first sprayed layer have a Vickers hardness of not less than 350. It is preferred that the first sprayed layer have a thickness of 400 ?m to 500 ?m. A method of manufacturing a cylinder block includes the step of casting a cylinder block, which involves casting the cylinder in the cylinder block, the step of forming the first sprayed layer on the inner circumferential surface of the cylinder, and the step of forming the second sprayed layer on the inner circumferential surface of the first sprayed layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2005Publication date: October 27, 2005Inventor: Hirofumi Michioka
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Patent number: 6932741Abstract: An engine control device (20) for a vehicle has a torque control mechanism (17) for regulating the engine output torque. The torque control mechanism (17) includes at least one of a throttle valve (11) and a fuel injector (12). The engine control device further has a sensor (10) for detecting the shift lever position and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a shift in the shift lever position from the stationary range position (N or P range) to the running range position (D or R range) based on the shift lever position; and transmit a command signal to the torque control mechanism (17) when a first predetermined period elapses after the detection of the shift in the shift lever position, the command signal increasing the engine output torque by a predetermined correction gain ?Te from a first output torque Te0 at the detection of the shift lever position to a second output torque Te1.Type: GrantFiled: January 5, 2004Date of Patent: August 23, 2005Assignee: Jatco Ltd.Inventors: Nobuaki Mochizuki, Hirofumi Michioka, Morimasa Yamawaki, Koji Koizumi, Jun Takeuchi, Hiroyasu Fujioka
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Publication number: 20050037894Abstract: A servo system employs at least two multiple disk clutches arranged in series to each other in an axial direction and at least two pistons used for engagement and disengagement of the respective clutches and arranged to be nested each other so that one of the pistons fits inside the other. Also provided is a servo system control device with a piston-stroke order control section. The piston-stroke order control section determines a timing of operation of each of the pistons for engagement of the respective clutches so that the pistons are operated in a specified order that the outside piston is operated prior to the inside piston.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 2, 2004Publication date: February 17, 2005Inventor: Hirofumi Michioka
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Publication number: 20040192501Abstract: An engine control device (20) for a vehicle has a torque control mechanism (17) for regulating the engine output torque. The torque control mechanism (17) includes at least one of a throttle valve (11) and a fuel injector (12). The engine control device further has a sensor (10) for detecting the shift lever position and a controller. The controller is configured to detect a shift in the shift lever position from the stationary range position (N or P range) to the running range position (D or R range) based on the shift lever position; and transmit a command signal to the torque control mechanism (17) when a first predetermined period elapses after the detection of the shift in the shift lever position, the command signal increasing the engine output torque by a predetermined correction gain &Dgr;Te from a first output torque Te0 at the detection of the shift lever position to a second output torque Te1.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 5, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: JATCO LtdInventors: Nobuaki Mochizuki, Hirofumi Michioka, Morimasa Yamawaki, Koji Koizumi, Jun Takeuchi, Hiroyasu Fujioka