Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Kuroyanagi

Hiroshi Kuroyanagi 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: 7418326
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire system 10, a first steering reaction force made-up value (Hc1) is determined in dependence on a road reaction force (W), and a second steering reaction force made-up value (Hc2) is determined in dependence on a steering position (X) of a steering handle 11 or steerable wheels 50. A steering reaction force command value (H) is generated from both of the first steering reaction force made-up value (Hc1) and the second steering reaction force made-up value (Hc2) the weightings on which are adjusted by respective weighting gains (G1, G2), and the ratio of the weighting gains is properly altered in dependence on the state of a road surface. Thus, it can be realized to provide the steer-by-wire system 10 capable of adjusting the steering reaction force to be sensitive or insensitive to the state of the road surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Shoji Ogawa, Yoshiyuki Shibata, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Publication number: 20070169984
    Abstract: In a steer-by-wire system 10, a first steering reaction force made-up value (Hc1) is determined in dependence on a road reaction force (W), and a second steering reaction force made-up value (Hc2) is determined in dependence on a steering position (X) of a steering handle 11 or steerable wheels 50. A steering reaction force command value (H) is generated from both of the first steering reaction force made-up value (Hc1) and the second steering reaction force made-up value (Hc2) the weightings on which are adjusted by respective weighting gains (G1, G2), and the ratio of the weighting gains is properly altered in dependence on the state of a road surface. Thus, it can be realized to provide the steer-by-wire system 10 capable of adjusting the steering reaction force to be sensitive or insensitive to the state of the road surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: July 26, 2007
    Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shoji Ogawa, Yoshiyuki Shibata, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 7222008
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering control apparatus for maintaining operating characteristics which do not change from when conditions are normal and when an impairment occurs. The apparatus includes a plurality of motors for driving a steered wheel and a plurality of ECUs, each associated with one of the motors. When the steering control apparatus is operating normally, a torque command representing torque required to turn the steered wheel is generated. The torque command is divided in accordance with the number of motors. Each of the ECUs control the associated motors in accordance with a corresponding one of the distributed torques.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2007
    Assignee: JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 7034483
    Abstract: A controller of a steer-by-wire steering apparatus determines whether voltage applied to a steering motor in accordance with a current command value has reached a predetermined voltage. Based on the result, the controller selects one of the value of an actual current through the steering motor and a current command value. Based on the selected current value, an axial force applied to a steering rod is estimated. Based on the estimated axial force, a counter torque motor is controlled. Therefore, An error or oscillation occurring in the estimated steering axial force is prevented, and the driver is suppressed from further turning the steering wheel when the voltage applied to the steering motor is saturated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 25, 2006
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 6983816
    Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering apparatus for a vehicle includes an elastic member couples a reaction force actuator to a steering wheel. With respect to the elastic member, a side closer to the steering wheel is referred to as a primary side, and a side closer to the reaction force actuator is referred to as a secondary side. A steering wheel position detector is located at the secondary side. Therefore, the apparatus is capable of giving a feel of a steering reaction force equivalent to an ordinary mechanically connected steering apparatus to an operator and secures stability of a control system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Shinji Takeuchi, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Publication number: 20050017664
    Abstract: A controller of a steer-by-wire steering apparatus determines whether voltage applied to a steering motor in accordance with a current command value has reached a predetermined voltage. Based on the result, the controller selects one of the value of an actual current through the steering motor and a current command value. Based on the selected current value, an axial force applied to a steering rod is estimated. Based on the estimated axial force, a counter torque motor is controlled. Therefore, An error or oscillation occurring in the estimated steering axial force is prevented, and the driver is suppressed from further turning the steering wheel when the voltage applied to the steering motor is saturated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Publication number: 20040238257
    Abstract: A steer-by-wire steering apparatus for a vehicle includes an elastic member couples a reaction force actuator to a steering wheel. With respect to the elastic member, a side closer to the steering wheel is referred to as a primary side, and a side closer to the reaction force actuator is referred to as a secondary side. A steering wheel position detector is located at the secondary side. Therefore, the apparatus is capable of giving a feel of a steering reaction force equivalent to an ordinary mechanically connected steering apparatus to an operator and secures stability of a control system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Publication date: December 2, 2004
    Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Shinji Takeuchi, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Publication number: 20040128042
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a steering control apparatus for maintaining operating characteristics which do not change from when conditions are normal and when an impairment occurs. The apparatus includes a plurality of motors for driving a steered wheel and a plurality of ECUs, each associated with one of the motors. When the steering control apparatus is operating normally, a torque command representing torque required to turn the steered wheel is generated. The torque command is divided in accordance with the number of motors. Each of the ECUs control the associated motors in accordance with a corresponding one of the distributed torques.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 1, 2004
    Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshihiro Takahashi, Shoji Ogawa, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi, Shoji Asai
  • Patent number: 6619422
    Abstract: A power steering apparatus is provided to generate an assistant force corresponding to a change of viscous friction in the steering unit or the like, without losing information on reaction force from a road surface. An external force calculation portion calculates an external force, that is, a force other than a force for steering (i.e. a steering force) among forces (action forces) acting on the steering unit of a vehicle. The external force is assumed to be composed of an outside force received from the road surface, such as an SAT (self-aligning torque), and an internal drag resulting from a viscous friction generated in the steering unit, and the like and these two forces are separated in an outside force and internal drag calculation portion. In separating these two forces, under the assumption that the outside force is a function of a side slip angle and an internal drag is a function of a steering angular velocity, and coefficients of functions are obtained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Toyoda Koki Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shinji Takeuchi, Toshihiro Takahashi, Minekazu Momiyama, Eiichi Ono, Shoji Asai, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi
  • Publication number: 20020121402
    Abstract: A power steering apparatus is provided to generate an assistant force corresponding to a change of viscous friction in the steering unit or the like, without losing information on reaction force from a road surface. An external force calculation portion calculates an external force, that is, a force other than a force for steering (i.e. a steering force) among forces (action forces) acting on the steering unit of a vehicle. The external force is assumed to be composed of an outside force received from the road surface, such as an SAT (self-aligning torque), and an internal drag resulting from a viscous friction generated in the steering unit, and the like and these two forces are separated in an outside force and internal drag calculation portion. In separating these two forces, under the assumption that the outside force is a function of a side slip angle and an internal drag is a function of a steering angular velocity, and coefficients of functions are obtained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2001
    Publication date: September 5, 2002
    Applicant: TOYODA KOKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Shinji Takeuchi, Toshihiro Takahashi, Minekazu Momiyama, Eiichi Ono, Shoji Asai, Hiroshi Kuroyanagi