Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Ota

Hirofumi Ota 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).

  • Publication number: 20070021260
    Abstract: At the time of a failure in the second group of engagement devices, the manner of input of oil pressures to a fail-safe valve group is changed via a priority degree switching valve on the basis of the state of engagement of engagement devices of the first group in such a manner that the predetermined degrees of priority for the supply of one of oil pressures PC4, PB1 output from linear solenoid valves SL4, SL5 to a corresponding one of a clutch C4 and a brake B1 via the fail-safe valve group are changed so as to avoid an event that the fail-safe gear stage established in order to prevent the occurrence of interlock of the automatic transmission involves a downshift of two or more stages from the speed change stage maintained immediately prior to the occurrence of the failure. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an uncomfortable behavior of the vehicle caused by the shift to the fail-safe gear stage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2006
    Publication date: January 25, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nozaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20070015624
    Abstract: A control apparatus and control method of an automatic transmission that establishes a plurality of speeds of different speed ratios by selectively engaging and/or releasing a plurality of engagement devices, detects abnormal engagement of at least one of the engagement devices which causes tie-up to occur in the automatic transmission; establishes a predetermined specific speed set in advance in order to prevent tie-up from occurring in the automatic transmission, when abnormal engagement of the at least one of the engagement devices is detected; and places the automatic transmission in a neutral state when an engine speed will exceed a predetermined allowable speed if the predetermined specific speed is established.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2006
    Publication date: January 18, 2007
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi Ota, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Honda, Kazutoshi Nozaki
  • Publication number: 20060280392
    Abstract: A lubrication groove is formed on a sliding face of a bushing, both ends of which open to the same end face of the bushing. The lubrication groove has inclined portions that extend from the openings in directions that approach each other, and a parallel portion that is in communication with the ends of the inclined portions via curved portions. Oil is guided to the lubrication groove so as to form an oil film on the sliding face. Sealability is achieved because the lubrication groove only opens to one end face of the bushing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Publication date: December 14, 2006
    Applicants: Aisin AW Co., Ltd., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhisa Ishii, Toshihiko Aoki, Takuya Ishii, Minoru Todo, Kazutoshi Nozaki, Atsushi Honda, Masafumi Kinoshita, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20060264297
    Abstract: A connection structure for an automatic transmission includes a drum member that includes a base portion, an outer diameter portion that extends from an outer diameter side of the base portion in an axial direction, and a collar portion that extends from an inner diameter side of the base portion in the axial direction; a base member that includes a raised portion, an outer diameter portion that extends from an outer diameter side of the raised portion in the axial direction, a boss portion that extends from an inner diameter side of the raised portion in the axial direction, and a connection portion that extends from an end of the outer diameter portion; and a ring gear of a planetary gear that includes a spline groove and a circular concave groove on an end portion of an inner peripheral face.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicants: AISIN AW CO., LTD., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuichi Seki, Takuya Ishii, Toshihiko Aoki, Minoru Todo, Kazutoshi Nozaki, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Honda, Masafumi Kinoshita, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20060252593
    Abstract: At a first forward speed, the oil passage in a relay valve is switched to control the torque capacity of a lock-up clutch using a linear solenoid valve that controls the engagement pressure of a clutch that is engaged at each of fifth to eighth forward speeds. At each of second to eighth forward speeds, the oil passage in another relay valve is switched to control the torque capacity of the lock-up clutch using a linear solenoid valve that controls the engagement pressure of a brake that is engaged at the first forward speed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2006
    Publication date: November 9, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Yuji Inoue, Atsushi Tabata, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Kazutoshi Nozaki, Hirofumi Ota, Atsushi Kamada
  • Patent number: 7118509
    Abstract: A multiple-step transmission including a first transmission portion including a first intermediate output path which transmits, at a first speed ratio, an input rotary motion of an input member, and a second intermediate output path which transmits the input rotary motion at a second speed ratio greater than the first speed ratio; and a second transmission portion including a 2-1, a 2-2, and a 2-3 planetary gear set each of which includes a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear, the 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 planetary gear sets being partly connected to each other to provide a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth rotary element, the second transmission portion further including a first brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the first rotary element, a second brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the second rotary element, a first clutch which selectively connects the fifth rotary element to the second intermediate output path of the first transmission portion, a second clutch which sele
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20060196746
    Abstract: Engagement, disengagement, and slip of a lock-up clutch can be controlled using two valves that are a lock-up relay valve and a linear solenoid valve. A lock-up control valve employed in a conventional hydraulic control apparatus can be eliminated, which simplifies the configuration, and reduces the size of a hydraulic control apparatus for a torque converter with a lock-up clutch. When the lock-up clutch is engaged, hydraulic pressure output from the linear solenoid valve is supplied to a disengagement-side oil chamber of the torque converter, and a pressure difference between the engagement-side oil chamber and the disengagement-side oil chamber is applied to a spool valve element of the linear solenoid valve. Therefore, the spool valve element is driven such that an electromagnetic force applied from a linear solenoid becomes equal to the pressure difference.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Publication date: September 7, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Nozaki, Atsushi Tabata, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Yuji Inoue, Hirofumi Ota, Atsushi Kamada
  • Patent number: 7101305
    Abstract: A planetary-gear-type multiple-step transmission including a stationary member, an input rotary member, an output rotary member, and first and second transmission units. The first transmission unit transmits a rotary motion from an input rotary member to the second transmission unit through first and second intermediate transmitting paths such that a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the second intermediate transmitting path is lower than that of the rotary motion transmitted through the first intermediate transmitting path. The second transmission unit constitutes first, second, third, fourth and fifth rotary elements, each of which is provided by at least one of sun gears, carriers and ring gears of three planetary gear sets. The first rotary element is selectively connected to the second intermediate transmitting path, while being selectively connected to the stationary member. The second rotary element is selectively connected to the first intermediate transmitting path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 7076355
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for controlling shifting actions of a step-variable automatic transmission for a vehicle, which has a plurality of selectable groups of forward-drive positions having respective different sets of speed ratios, each one of the selectable groups of forward-drive positions including at least one high-speed position each having a speed ratio which is different from that of each high-speed position of any other of the selectable groups, the shift control apparatus including a drive-force-increase determining portion operable to determine whether it is necessary to increase a drive force of the vehicle with the automatic transmission placed in any high-speed position, and a drive-position-group selecting portion operable to select one of the selectable groups of forward-drive positions which includes the at least one high-speed position each having the speed ratio higher than that of each high-speed position of any other of the selectable groups, when the drive-force-increase determining p
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2006
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hirofumi Ota, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20060142112
    Abstract: A transmission can be provided which achieves multiple speeds while maintaining good balance of gear ratio steps between gears by having a first clutch which selectively connects a first intermediate output member and a fourth rotating element RE4 together, a second clutch which selectively connects an input shaft and a second rotating element RE2 together, a third clutch which selectively connects the first intermediate output member and a first rotating element RE1 together, a fourth clutch which selectively connects the input shaft and the first rotating element RE1 together, a fifth clutch which selectively connects a second intermediate output member and the first rotating element RE1 together, a first brake which selectively holds the first rotating element RE1 to a transmission case, and a second brake which selectively holds the second rotating element RE2 to the transmission case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Kamada, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Tabata, Kazutoshi Nozaki, Yuji Inoue, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20050090962
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for controlling shifting actions of a step-variable automatic transmission for a vehicle, which has a plurality of selectable groups of forward-drive positions having respective different sets of speed ratios, each one of the selectable groups of forward-drive positions including at least one high-speed position each having a speed ratio which is different from that of each high-speed position of any other of the selectable groups, the shift control apparatus including a drive-force-increase determining portion operable to determine whether it is necessary to increase a drive force of the vehicle with the automatic transmission placed in any high-speed position, and a drive-position-group selecting portion operable to select one of the selectable groups of forward-drive positions which includes the at least one high-speed position each having the speed ratio higher than that of each high-speed position of any other of the selectable groups, when the drive-force-increase determining p
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi Ota, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20050090355
    Abstract: A shift control apparatus for controlling shifting actions of a step-variable automatic transmission having a plurality of selectable groups of forward-drive positions (e.g., normal-spread group and narrow-spread or wide-spread group) having respective different sets of speed ratios, the automatic transmission having an automatic shifting mode in which the shifting actions take place automatically and a manual shifting mode in which the shifting actions are manually controllable, the shift control apparatus including a drive-position-group selecting portion operable upon switching of a shifting mode of the automatic transmission from the automatic shifting mode to the manual shifting mode, to select one of the selectable groups of forward-drive positions in the manual shifting mode, on the basis of the group which was selected last in the automatic shifting mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 16, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi Ota, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Atsushi Tabata
  • Publication number: 20050090362
    Abstract: A planetary-gear-type multiple-step transmission including a stationary member, an input rotary member, an output rotary member, and first and second transmission units. The first transmission unit has first and second intermediate transmitting paths through which a rotary motion of the input rotary member is transmittable to the second transmission unit such that a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the second intermediate transmitting path is lower than a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the first intermediate transmitting path. The second transmission unit constitutes first, second, third and fourth rotary modules, each of which is provided by at least one of sun gears, carriers and ring gears of two planetary gear sets. The first rotary module is selectively connected to the second intermediate transmitting path, while being selectively connected to the stationary member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2004
    Publication date: April 28, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akiharu Abe, Akira Hoshino, Atsushi Tabata, Atsushi Honda, Terufumi Miyazaki, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20050043134
    Abstract: An automatic transmission having first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for outputting a rotary motion a speed of which is higher than the speed of a rotary motion received from an input member, the first group being established by an engaging action of a first input clutch while the second group being established by an engaging action of a second input clutch, or first and second groups of successive forward-drive positions for reducing the speed of the rotary motion received from the input member, the first group being established by an engaging action of a first input clutch while the second group being established by an engaging action of a second input clutch. The successive operating positions of the first group have respective speed ratios different from those of the second group. The automatic transmission is shiftable to a selected one of the successive operating positions of a selected one of the first and second groups.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20050020398
    Abstract: The transmission 10 is constructed so that, in the first transmission portion 36, the rotation of the input shaft 16 is outputted to the second transmission portion 38 via the first intermediate output path M1 and the second intermediate output path M2 accelerated and rotated with respect to the first intermediate output path M1, and, in the second transmission portion 38, the first rotary element RE1 (S2 and S3) is selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the first clutch C1 and is selectively connected to the second driven gear CG2B via the third clutch C3, the second rotary element RE2 (CA1 and CA2) are selectively connected to the first driven gear CG1B via the second clutch C2 and are selectively connected to the transmission case 12 operating as a non-rotating member via the first brake B1, the third rotary element RE3 (R1, R2 and CA3) is connected to the output gear 28 operating as an output rotating member, the fourth rotary element RE4 (S1) is selectively connected to the transmission
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20050003924
    Abstract: With the automatic transmission 10-1 for vehicle according to the present embodiment, since multistage transmission of eight forward gear stages can be obtained by means of four sets of planetary gear sets 12, 16, 18 and 20, four clutches C1 through C4 and three brakes B1 through B3, the transmission can be fabricated to be light in weight and made compact, wherein the mountability thereof in a vehicle can be improved. Further, as has been made clear in FIG. 1(b), since speed change in the respective gear stages can be carried out only by a shifting action of any two of the clutches C1 through C4 and brakes B1 through B3, the speed change control can be facilitated and it is possible to prevent a shock to the transmission from occurring.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2004
    Publication date: January 6, 2005
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20040242368
    Abstract: A planetary-gear-type multiple-step transmission including a stationary member, an input rotary member, an output rotary member, and first and second transmission units. The first transmission unit transmits a rotary motion from an input rotary member to the second transmission unit through first and second intermediate transmitting paths such that a speed of the rotary motion transmitted through the second intermediate transmitting path is lower than that of the rotary motion transmitted through the first intermediate transmitting path. The second transmission unit constitutes first, second, third, fourth and fifth rotary elements, each of which is provided by at least one of sun gears, carriers and ring gears of three planetary gear sets. The first rotary element is selectively connected to the second intermediate transmitting path, while being selectively connected to the stationary member. The second rotary element is selectively connected to the first intermediate transmitting path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Publication number: 20040242366
    Abstract: A multiple-step transmission including a first transmission portion including a first intermediate output path which transmits, at a first speed ratio, an input rotary motion of an input member, and a second intermediate output path which transmits the input rotary motion at a second speed ratio greater than the first speed ratio; and a second transmission portion including a 2-1, a 2-2, and a 2-3 planetary gear set each of which includes a sun gear, a carrier, and a ring gear, the 2-1, 2-2, and 2-3 planetary gear sets being partly connected to each other to provide a first, a second, a third, a fourth, and a fifth rotary element, the second transmission portion further including a first brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the first rotary element, a second brake which selectively stops a rotary motion of the second rotary element, a first clutch which selectively connects the fifth rotary element to the second intermediate output path of the first transmission portion, a second clutch which sele
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Atsushi Tabata, Akira Hoshino, Terufumi Miyazaki, Atsushi Honda, Akiharu Abe, Hirofumi Ota
  • Patent number: 4470131
    Abstract: A bubble memory device comprises an insulating substrate holding a bubble memory chip secured thereto, X- and Y-direction driving coils wound on the insulating substrate for providing an in-plane rotating filed to the chip, a lead frame secured to edge portions of the insulating substrate, and magnet blocks disposed above and below the coils and including permanent magnets and field homogenizer plates for providing a bias field to the chip. The magnet blocks are molded together with the insulating substrate, coils and lead frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 1982
    Date of Patent: September 4, 1984
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeharu Hatayama, Hirofumi Ota