Patents by Inventor Hironao Fukuchi

Hironao Fukuchi 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: 6807942
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine has an exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating a portion of exhaust gases from the engine to an intake system and an exhaust gas recirculation control valve for controlling an amount of exhaust gases recirculated through the exhaust gas recirculation passage. A valve opening amount of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve is detected. A fuel amount to be supplied to the engine is calculated according to the valve opening amount of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve. An average valve opening value, a change rate of which is smaller than that of the detected valve opening amount is used to calculate a correction value for correcting the fuel supply amount. The fuel supply amount is corrected according to the calculated correction value from a time at which an opening of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Hironao Fukuchi, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6791203
    Abstract: This invention relates to an assistance controlling apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which assists an outputs of the engine by an output of the motor. The assistance controlling apparatus for a hybrid vehicle according to this invention, comprises: an engine which outputs propulsive power for the vehicle; a motor which assists the output of the engine; a remaining quantity detector which detects whether the remaining quantity of the fuel is under a fixed value or not; and an assistance-restricting unit which restricts the assistance of the output of the engine by the motor when the remaining quantity detector detects that the remaining quantity of the fuel is under the fixed value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Atsushi Izumiura, Hideyuki Takahashi, Takashi Kiyomiya, Hironao Fukuchi, Katsuhiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 6692404
    Abstract: An engine control system for hybrid vehicles, so as to smoothly switch the driving operation from the cylinder-deactivated engine operation, in which at least a part of the total number of cylinders of the engine is deactivated, to the all-cylinder-activated engine operation while considering the driver's intention. When the vehicle is decelerated, the cylinder-deactivated engine operation is performed and regeneration using the motor is performed. The system includes a cylinder deactivation release determining section for releasing the cylinder-deactivated engine operation when an engine speed decreases to a reference engine speed with respect to the cylinder-deactivated engine operation; and a brake operation detecting section for detecting whether a brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hironao Fukuchi, Kan Nakaune, Shigeo Hidai, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6634447
    Abstract: A control device for a hybrid vehicle that responds reliably to the assist requests of a driver from start-up to departure of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hironao Fukuchi, Asao Ukai, Takashi Iwamoto, Fumihiko Konno, Katsuhiro Kumagai
  • Publication number: 20030106530
    Abstract: A control system for an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The engine has an exhaust gas recirculation passage for recirculating a portion of exhaust gases from the engine to an intake system and an exhaust gas recirculation control valve for controlling an amount of exhaust gases recirculated through the exhaust gas recirculation passage. A valve opening amount of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve is detected. A fuel amount to be supplied to the engine is calculated according to the valve opening amount of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve. An average valve opening value, a change rate of which is smaller than that of the detected valve opening amount is used to calculate a correction value for correcting the fuel supply amount. The fuel supply amount is corrected according to the calculated correction value from a time at which an opening of the exhaust gas recirculation control valve is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: June 12, 2003
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Hironao Fukuchi, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Publication number: 20030054919
    Abstract: An engine control system for hybrid vehicles, so as to smoothly switch the driving operation from the cylinder-deactivated engine operation, in which at least a part of the total number of cylinders of the engine is deactivated, to the all-cylinder-activated engine operation while considering the driver's intention. When the vehicle is decelerated, the cylinder-deactivated engine operation is performed and regeneration using the motor is performed. The system includes a cylinder deactivation release determining section for releasing the cylinder-deactivated engine operation when an engine speed decreases to a reference engine speed with respect to the cylinder-deactivated engine operation; and a brake operation detecting section for detecting whether a brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hironao Fukuchi, Kan Nakaune, Shigeo Hidai, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6478015
    Abstract: In order to prevent an occurrence of dieseling phenomenon, and to prevent engine rotation speed from decreasing during idle operation or the idle operation from being stopped, in step S111, it is determined whether the flag value of an idle stop flag F_IDLSTP is “1” or not. If it is determined that the determination result is “YES”, that is, if it is determined that the internal combustion engine body is stopped, 0% is set to a target purge control valve drive duty value PGCMD (step S105), and 0 is set to the target purge flow rate QPGC (step S106). If it is determined that the determination result is “NO”, that is, when the internal combustion engine body is in operation, PGCMD calculation processing is executed (step S112).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Asao Ukai, Shinichi Kitajima, Hironao Fukuchi, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Izumiura
  • Patent number: 6404332
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a shift position indicating device for indicating a recommended shift position to a driver of a hybrid vehicle having an engine for driving a drive shaft of the vehicle, a motor for assisting a drive force applied to the drive shaft by electrical energy, and a battery for supplying power to the motor and storing electrical energy output from the motor. The motor having a regenerative function of converting kinetic energy of the drive shaft into electrical energy. According to the shift position indicating device, it is determined whether or not the vehicle is in a high-load running condition, and when the vehicle is in the high-load running condition, the shift-down is recommended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken-Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 6390083
    Abstract: The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises: a fuel supply device for supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine; a fuel tank for retaining fuel; a purge device for purging fuel vapor, produced in the fuel tank, into an intake system of the internal combustion engine; a purge correction amount updating device for calculating a purge correction amount for correcting an amount of fuel to be supplied by the fuel supply device, depending on the amount of fuel vapor purged by the purge device; a target air-fuel ratio setting device for setting a target air-fuel ratio depending on a running state of the internal combustion engine; and an update amount setting device for updating the purge correction amount depending on the target air-fuel ratio set by the target air-fuel ratio setting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Fumihiko Konno, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Hideyuki Takahashi, Hironao Fukuchi, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6316842
    Abstract: The engine control system, according to the present invention, for a hybrid vehicle, which has an internal combustion engine and an electric motor as driving force sources, and permits stopping and starting of the engine in accordance with predetermined drive conditions, the engine control system comprises: power-consumption detector for detecting an amount of power consumption by predetermined device; first power storage unit for supplying electric energy to the motor and storing energy generated when the electric motor is operated as a generator by the internal combustion engine and energy regenerated by regeneration; second power storage unit for supplying electric energy to the predetermined device; remaining-amount detector for detecting a remaining charge of said first power storage unit; stop/start determination device for determining whether to permit stopping or starting of the engine in accordance with the amount of power consumption by the predetermined device and the remaining charge of the first
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigetaka Kuroda, Hideyuki Takahashi, Hironao Fukuchi, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6314346
    Abstract: A control system for a hybrid vehicle with an engine for producing a driving force for the vehicle, a motor for producing an assist driving force to assist the output from the engine, and a power storage unit for supplying electric energy to the motor and storing regenerated energy produced by regeneration of the motor when the vehicle decelerates. The control system includes a charge zone determining device for determining whether a state of charge (SOC) is within the normal use range, temporary use range, over-discharge range, or over-charge range; a generation mode selector for selecting one of a normal generation mode corresponding to normal use zone, a low generation mode corresponding to temporary use zone, a high generation mode corresponding to over-discharge zone, and a generation stop mode corresponding to over-charge zone, based on the determination by the charge zone determining device; and a generation amount setter for setting the amount of electric power generation corresponding to each mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Keisuke Uchida, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi
  • Patent number: 6262491
    Abstract: The control system of the present invention is provided for a hybrid vehicle with an engine, a motor, and a power storage unit. The control system selects one of an air intake passage pressure assist mode (PB assist mode) corresponding to a partial load range of the engine and a throttle assist mode corresponding to the opening state of a throttle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinichi Kitajima, Atsushi Izumiura, Keisuke Uchida, Katsuhiro Kumagai, Asao Ukai, Hironao Fukuchi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Hideyuki Oki, Kenji Nakano, Fumihiko Konno, Takashi Kiyomiya, Nobuyuki Irie
  • Publication number: 20010003979
    Abstract: In order to prevent an occurrence of dieseling phenomenon, and to prevent engine rotation speed from decreasing during idle operation or the idle operation from being stopped, in step S111, it is determined whether the flag value of an idle stop flag F_IDLSTP is “1” or not. If it is determined that the determination result is “YES”, that is, if it is determined that the internal combustion engine body is stopped, 0% is set to a target purge control valve drive duty value PGCMD (step S105), and 0 is set to the target purge flow rate QPGC (step S106). If it is determined that the determination result is “NO”, that is, when the internal combustion engine body is in operation, PGCMD calculation processing is executed (step S112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Applicant: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Asao Ukai, Shinichi Kitajima, Hironao Fukuchi, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Izumiura
  • Publication number: 20010003982
    Abstract: The control apparatus for an internal combustion engine of the present invention comprises: a fuel supply device for supplying fuel to the internal combustion engine; a fuel tank for retaining fuel; a purge device for purging fuel vapor, produced in the fuel tank, into an intake system of the internal combustion engine; a purge correction amount updating device for calculating a purge correction amount for correcting an amount of fuel to be supplied by the fuel supply device, depending on the amount of fuel vapor purged by the purge device; a target air-fuel ratio setting device for setting a target air-fuel ratio depending on a running state of the internal combustion engine; and an update amount setting device for updating the purge correction amount depending on the target air-fuel ratio set by the target air-fuel ratio setting device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2000
    Publication date: June 21, 2001
    Inventors: Hideyuki Oki, Shinichi Kitajima, Fumihiko Konno, Atsushi Matsubara, Teruo Wakashiro, Hideyuki Takahashi, Hironao Fukuchi, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6186255
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has a transmission coupled to the output shaft of an engine for transmitting an output power of the engine to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle. A generator motor is coupled to the transmission for transmitting an assistive output power for assisting the output power of the engine through the transmission to the drive wheels. A battery stores electric energy regenerated by the generator motor, operating as an electric motor, from kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle transmitted from the drive wheels through the transmission when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated. A transmission control unit establishes a speed reduction ratio for the transmission to achieve a predetermined regeneration efficiency for the generator motor when the hybrid vehicle is decelerated, and controls the transmission at the established speed reduction ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6176081
    Abstract: In a heating device for an exhaust gas purification catalytic converter, an insulating coating or an insulating material is provided between a tubular electrode receiving member of a power relay means and an electrode received in this electrode receiving member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, NGK Insulators, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Hironao Fukuchi, Hiroaki Kato, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yasushi Kato
  • Patent number: 6112519
    Abstract: A foreign matter-removing filter is provided upstream of an electrically-heated heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2000
    Assignees: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, NGK Insulators, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Hironao Fukuchi, Hiroaki Kato, Kazutomo Sawamura, Yasushi Kato
  • Patent number: 6019183
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has an engine for propelling the hybrid vehicle, a power transfer mechanism for transferring an output power of the engine from an output shaft thereof to drive wheels of the hybrid vehicle, an electric motor for supplying an assistive output power to assist the output power of the engine through the power transfer mechanism to the drive wheels, and an electric energy storage unit for storing electric energy for energizing the electric motor. The hybrid vehicle also has a controller for controlling operation of the hybrid vehicle with the engine and the electric motor. If the amount of electric energy stored in the electric energy storage unit is greater than a predetermined quantity, the controller controls the electric motor to generate the assistive output power to start the hybrid vehicle with the electric energy supplied from the electric energy storage unit to the electric motor while the engine is idling or stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 6020697
    Abstract: A hybrid vehicle has a generator motor coupled to the output shaft of an engine through a transfer shaft, for transmitting an assistive output power for assisting an output power of the engine through the transfer shaft to the output shaft of the engine. A battery stores electric energy regenerated by the generator motor from kinetic energy of the hybrid vehicle transmitted from the output shaft of the engine through the transfer shaft. A generator is mounted on the transfer shaft and has an electric energy generating ability smaller than the generator motor. The generator generates electric energy to energize another device than the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2000
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yuichi Shimasaki, Kenji Nakano, Hironao Fukuchi, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kazutomo Sawamura, Teruo Wakashiro
  • Patent number: 5908019
    Abstract: An intake air amount control system for an internal combustion engine installed in an automotive vehicle has an intake air amount control valve arranged in a bypass passage bypassing a throttle valve arranged in an intake passage of the engine. The intake air amount control valve controls the amount of air supplied to the intake passage at a location downstream of the throttle valve. The intake air amount control valve is controlled in dependence on operatives states of electric devices including an electrically-heated catalyzer which are installed on the vehicle and supplied with electric power by an alternator installed on the vehicle and driven by the engine, when the engine is in a predetermined operating condition. The intake air amount control valve is controlled by the use of a correction amount dependent on an operative state of the electrically-heated catalyzer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 1, 1999
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironao Fukuchi, Yuichi Shimasaki, Hiroaki Kato, Akihisa Saito, Hideo Furumoto, Takayoshi Nakayama