Patents by Inventor Hiroshi UKEGAWA

Hiroshi UKEGAWA 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: 11938875
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for wireless power transfer in a vehicle. A wireless power transfer system can include a high-frequency alternating current (HFAC) inverter electrically coupled to the power source and a transmitter to wirelessly transmit a HFAC power signal to at least one device of a vehicle, such as sensors (e.g., LiDAR, GPS etc.) and cameras. The HFAC power signal provides wireless power and a data signal to the at least one device of a vehicle. The wireless power transfer system can eliminate the need for cabling and wires to provide power to the device. Wireless power transfer can include use or a data modulation circuit and a pulse current source to inject a pulse current to the HFAC power signal as superimposed data. System configurations can power a plurality of devices. Systems can includes a plurality of HFAC inverters and transmitters to power multiple sets of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2024
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Yanghe Liu, Chungchih Chou, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Qunfang Wu, Mengqi Wang, Weiyang Zhou
  • Publication number: 20240063090
    Abstract: Power electronics systems including power electronics device assemblies having cold plates are described. A cold plate includes an S-cell having a body with a graphite or graphite-composite material. The body defines a power device recess. The S-cell is disposed within a cavity of the cold plate. The cold plate further includes a bond material bonding the S-cell to a base wall of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20240064943
    Abstract: Cold plate assemblies, power electronics assemblies including the same, and power electronics systems including the same are disclosed. A cold plate includes an S-cell disposed within a cavity of the cold plate and at least one reactive multilayer system interposed between the S-cell and a base wall of the cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2022
    Publication date: February 22, 2024
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11910521
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly that includes a printed circuit board (PCB) and an electrical insulation portion. The PCB includes a plurality of embedded power devices and a substrate layer having a plurality of metal inverse opal (MIO) portions. The electrically insulating portion is positioned between each of the MIO portions. The plurality of MIO portions is thermally coupled to the plurality of embedded power devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Ercan Dede, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20240038624
    Abstract: Power electronics assemblies having embedded power electronics devices are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power electronics assembly includes a circuit board assembly that includes a substrate that is electrically insulating and a power electronics device assembly embedded in the substrate. The power electronics device assembly includes an S-cell that includes an inner graphite layer, a metal layer encasing the inner graphite layer, and a first surface of the metal layer comprising a recess provided within the first surface. The power electronics device assembly further includes a power electronics device disposed within the recess of the first surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20240038625
    Abstract: Power electronics device assemblies, circuit board assemblies, and power electronics assemblies are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power electronics device assembly includes an S-cell including a first metal layer, a first graphite layer bonded to the first metal layer, an electrically insulating layer bonded to the first graphite layer, a second graphite layer bonded to the electrically insulating layer and a second metal layer bonded to the second graphite layer, the second metal layer comprising a surface and a recess provided within the surface. The power electronics device assembly further includes a power electronics device disposed within the recess of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Applicant: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11889666
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are apparatus and methods for a power electronics assembly includes a cold plate assembly and one or more power device assemblies. The cold plate assembly includes a manifold including a heat sink cavity in a first surface and a heat sink. The heat sink includes one or more substrate cavities and the heat sink is positioned in the heat sink cavity. The one or more power device assemblies are positioned within the one or more substrate cavities. Each power device assembly of the one or more power assemblies includes a direct bonded metal (DBM) substrate including a first metal layer directly bonded to an insulator layer and a power device. The DBM substrate includes a power device cavity. The power device is positioned in the power device cavity and the power device is electronically coupled to the first metal layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Yanghe Liu, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11869760
    Abstract: Power electronics device assemblies, circuit board assemblies, and power electronics assemblies are disclosed. In one embodiment, a power electronics device assembly includes an S-cell including a first metal layer, a first graphite layer bonded to the first metal layer, an electrically insulating layer bonded to the first graphite layer, a second graphite layer bonded to the electrically insulating layer and a second metal layer bonded to the second graphite layer, the second metal layer comprising a surface and a recess provided within the surface. The power electronics device assembly further includes a power electronics device disposed within the recess of the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20240006916
    Abstract: A wireless inductive charging apparatus includes first and second coil boards arranged in parallel, each coil board having a substrate and a first metallic trace forming a first inductive winding disposed on a first surface of the substrate. The apparatus includes an electrically-insulating and thermally-conductive insert board arranged between and adjacent to the first and second coil boards, the insert board including microchannels to provide cooling to the coil boards. The first coil board, the insert board and second coil board are arranged in a stacked formation to generate electric power when exposed to a changing magnetic field. Each coil board can also include a second metallic trace forming a second inductive winding disposed on a second surface of the substrate, the second surface on an opposite side of the substrate relative to the first surface. Additional coil boards and insert boards can be added to the stacked arrangement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yanghe Liu, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20240006919
    Abstract: A rectifier apparatus for a wireless inductive charging system includes a first PCB having a metal layer, a dielectric layer provided on a surface of the metal layer, and a circuit layer provided on an opposite surface of the dielectric layer relative to the metal layer, the circuit layer including copper traces and circuit components, the circuit components including a capacitor array. The apparatus includes a second PCB having a non-metallic substrate and a plurality of inductors formed in the non-metallic substrate, each inductor comprised of a magnetic core and metallic windings, where the plurality of inductors are electrically coupled forming an inductor array. The circuit layer of the first PCB and the inductor array of the second PCB are electrically coupled to form a rectifier circuit to provide DC power. The circuit layer and the inductor array can be electrically coupled via aligned contact pads on each PCB.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2022
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., The Regents of the University of Michigan, Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yanghe Liu, Guanliang Liu, Mengqi Wang, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11856689
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are power electronics assemblies which include a printed circuit board (PCB) having a plurality of conductive layers and a cold plate contacting the PCB. The cold plate includes a manifold constructed from an electrically insulating material and including a first cavity and a second cavity. The cold plate further includes a first heat sink positioned in the first cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers. The cold plate further includes a second heat sink positioned in the second cavity and thermally coupled to the plurality of conductive layers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Yanghe Liu, Hiroshi Ukegawa, Ercan Dede
  • Patent number: 11849569
    Abstract: A configurable, double sided, manifold micro-channel cold plate includes a one or more manifold micro-channel cold plate cells. Each cold plate cell includes a manifold body, a manifold insert, a plurality of heat sinks, and a plurality of longitudinal openings configured for fluidic communication with the fluid channels. The manifold body has fluid channels to permit flow of a fluid coolant. The manifold insert has a plurality of manifold insert fluid channels, and is configured for receipt in the one of the modular body recesses. The heat sinks are configured for receipt in the modular body recesses, and include an impingement surface configured for fluidic communication with the manifold insert fluid channels, and a heat transfer surface for thermal communication with one or more heat generating devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Ercan M. Dede, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230395897
    Abstract: A coolant manifold assembly is provided. The coolant manifold assembly may include a manifold body having a coolant delivering channel delivering coolant to a charging module fluidly communicating with the coolant delivering channel, and a coolant receiving channel receiving the coolant from the charging module fluidly communicating with the coolant receiving channel. The coolant manifold further include a bus bar disposed on the manifold body, the bus bar transmits power received from the charging module to a battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2022
    Publication date: December 7, 2023
    Applicants: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yanghe Liu, Feng Zhou, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11802739
    Abstract: A cooling assembly includes a housing defining a fluid chamber, wick structures arranged on an interior surface of the fluid chamber such that one or more flow channels are present therebetween, and a divider. The divider includes an outer frame comprising a first side and a second side and one or more bridging supports extending between and connecting the first side and the second side of the outer frame. The one or more bridging supports are aligned with the one or more flow channels between the wick structures. Each one of the one or more bridging supports define a plurality of vapor flow paths extending therethrough. The one or more bridging supports further define a plurality of vapor spaces between the one or more bridging supports that are aligned with the wick structures. The plurality of vapor flow paths are fluidly coupled to the vapor spaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2023
    Assignees: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC., TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Danny J. Lohan, Shailesh N. Joshi, Hitoshi Fujioka, Shohei Nagai, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230312109
    Abstract: A louvre system controls a flow of cooling air to a heat-generating element mounting inside a wing of an aircraft. The louvre system includes a louvre operably connected to the wing and structured to be rotatable to control airflow through an air intake of the wing into an interior of the wing. A louvre actuation mechanism is operably connected to the louvre and configured to control rotation of the louvre. A memory is communicably coupled to a processor and stores a louvre control module configured to autonomously control operation of the louvre actuation mechanism to control rotation of the louvre responsive to a temperature of a heat-generating element mounted in the wing interior.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Danny J. Lohan, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230318356
    Abstract: An aerial vehicle is provided. The aerial vehicle may include a battery, a receiver for wirelessly receiving power to charge the battery, a vehicle magnetic levitation module providing a repelling force between the aerial vehicle and a charging station, and a controller controlling the vehicle magnetic levitation module to adjust a level of the repelling force based on at least one of parameters indicative of charging efficiency.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Yanghe Liu, Shailesh N. Joshi, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230312123
    Abstract: An auxiliary fan based hybrid cooling system of an electric machine is contemplated. The hybrid cooling system comprises a propeller positioned on an exterior portion of an enclosure and mechanically coupled to a rotor, at least one electronic component, a stator, the rotor, and an auxiliary fan disposed within the enclosure, and wherein: in a single cooling mode, the propeller rotates to generate air that is channeled into the enclosure, in a dual cooling mode: the propeller rotates to generate the air that is channeled into the enclosure, a coupling mechanism simultaneously engages the rotor and the auxiliary fan and links the propeller to the auxiliary fan by the engaging of the rotor with the auxiliary fan, and the auxiliary fan, rotates responsive to the rotation of the propeller in the dual cooling mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230312122
    Abstract: A ram chute assembly is provided for directing a flow of cooling air into a hollow wing structure of an aircraft. The ram chute assembly includes a ram chute body defining an interior passage, and an air inlet enabling an airflow from an exterior of the ram chute body into the interior passage. The assembly is structured to be attachable to an exterior of an engine nacelle so as to receive propeller wash air through the air inlet into the interior passage when a propeller of the engine nacelle is rotating. The ram chute assembly is also structured to discharge the propeller wash air in a direction toward an air intake opening formed in an upper surface of a hollow wing structure on which the engine nacelle is mounted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2022
    Publication date: October 5, 2023
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Danny J. Lohan, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Patent number: 11776875
    Abstract: Embedded cooling systems and methods of forming the same are disclosed. A system may include a PCB stack comprising a first major substrate opposite a second major substrate, a pre-preg layer disposed between the first and second major substrates, a power device stack embedded within the PCB stack and comprising a substrate, a power device coupled to the substrate of the power device stack, and a vapor chamber embedded within at least the pre-preg layer of the PCB stack and the power device stack being coupled to the vapor chamber.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignees: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Feng Zhou, Shohei Nagai, Hiroshi Ukegawa
  • Publication number: 20230309277
    Abstract: A hybrid cooling system of an electric machine is contemplated. The hybrid cooling system includes a propeller assembly comprising a propeller, a housing comprising a stator and a rotor coupled to the propeller, and one or more capacitors, a gate drive electronics board, a cold plate, a substrate, power electronics coupled to substrate and the cold plate, a pump for pumping liquid coolant, and a heat exchanger.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2022
    Publication date: September 28, 2023
    Applicant: TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING & MANUFACTURING NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Shailesh N. Joshi, Hiroshi Ukegawa