Patents by Inventor Hiroto Kawano

Hiroto Kawano 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: 9561720
    Abstract: A driving force distribution control apparatus includes: a driving force transmission device including a clutch which can change distribution of a driving force to front wheels and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle; and a controller which controls an engagement force of the clutch in accordance with a traveling state. The controller includes a different-diameter tire detector which detects an attachment of a different-diameter tire to one of the front wheels and the rear wheels when a rotation speed ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels continues to be equal to or larger than a reference rotation speed ratio for a predetermined time. The different-diameter tire detector performs detection of the attachment of the different-diameter tire when it is determined that the wheels are unlikely to slip based on an outside condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignees: JTEKT CORPORATION, MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kotaro Sarai, Tomoaki Kato, Hiroto Kawano, Daisuke Kofu, Yasushi Yagi
  • Patent number: 9539973
    Abstract: A floor portion structure that serves as a right foot protecting structure has a tibia pad that is provided at a portion, where a right foot of a vehicle occupant is placed, at a dash panel of a vehicle. In a case in which the tibia pad receives compressive load from the right foot at a time of a vehicle collision, the tibia pad is deformed in a shape that is inclined downwardly to the right such that a right side portion in a vehicle transverse direction at a region of contact with the right foot becomes lower than a left side portion, or is deformed such that the left side portion in the vehicle transverse direction at the region of contact with the right foot generates greater reaction force than the right side portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroto Kawano
  • Patent number: 9533715
    Abstract: A vehicle hood structure includes a hood lock reinforcement that is provided on a vehicle lower side of an inner panel that forms a hood, and to which a striker is attached on a front side in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The hood lock reinforcement includes a step-shaped rear wall portion that is formed farther to a rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the striker, on the hood lock reinforcement, and in which a rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction is arranged farther to a vehicle upper side than a front end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and that includes at least four ridge lines that extend in a vehicle width direction, and that includes at least two leg portions that separate at least one of the ridge lines in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2017
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya Inoue, Hiroto Kawano
  • Publication number: 20160152280
    Abstract: A vehicle hood structure includes a hood lock reinforcement that is provided on a vehicle lower side of an inner panel that forms a hood, and to which a striker is attached on a front side in a vehicle longitudinal direction. The hood lock reinforcement includes a step-shaped rear wall portion that is formed farther to a rear side in the vehicle longitudinal direction than the striker, on the hood lock reinforcement, and in which a rear end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction is arranged farther to a vehicle upper side than a front end portion in the vehicle longitudinal direction, and that includes at least four ridge lines that extend in a vehicle width direction, and that includes at least two leg portions that separate at least one of the ridge lines in the vehicle width direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2014
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuya INOUE, Hiroto KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20160039380
    Abstract: A floor portion structure that serves as a right foot protecting structure has a tibia pad that is provided at a portion, where a right foot of a vehicle occupant is placed, at a dash panel of a vehicle. In a case in which the tibia pad receives compressive load from the right foot at a time of a vehicle collision, the tibia pad is deformed in a shape that is inclined downwardly to the right such that a right side portion in a vehicle transverse direction at a region of contact with the right foot becomes lower than a left side portion, or is deformed such that the left side portion in the vehicle transverse direction at the region of contact with the right foot generates greater reaction force than the right side portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2013
    Publication date: February 11, 2016
    Inventor: Hiroto KAWANO
  • Publication number: 20150258889
    Abstract: A driving force distribution control apparatus includes: a driving force transmission device including a clutch which can change distribution of a driving force to front wheels and rear wheels of a four-wheel drive vehicle; and a controller which controls an engagement force of the clutch in accordance with a traveling state. The controller includes a different-diameter tire detector which detects an attachment of a different-diameter tire to one of the front wheels and the rear wheels when a rotation speed ratio between the front wheels and the rear wheels continues to be equal to or larger than a reference rotation speed ratio for a predetermined time. The different-diameter tire detector performs detection of the attachment of the different-diameter tire when it is determined that the wheels are unlikely to slip based on an outside condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Publication date: September 17, 2015
    Applicants: JTEKT Corporation, Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Kotaro SARAI, Tomoaki Kato, Hiroto Kawano, Daisuke Kofu, Yasushi Yagi
  • Patent number: 8972136
    Abstract: Discloses is a method of controlling a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a torque distribution device capable of changing a torque distribution amount for secondary driven wheels according to an input current to be applied thereto. This method comprises the steps of: applying, to the torque distribution device, a current value corresponding to a target torque distribution amount; and, performing a current changing control for increasing and reducing the input current to the torque distribution device. The step of performing a current changing control includes causing the input current to the torque distribution device to be temporarily increased to a value greater than the current value corresponding to the target torque distribution amount, and then returned to the current value corresponding to the target torque distribution amount, and repeating the temporary increasing of the input current at least at intervals of a predetermined time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignees: Mazda Motor Corporation, JTEKT Corporation
    Inventors: Yasushi Yagi, Hiroto Kawano, Tomohiro Nozu, Akiyoshi Kakita, Ryohei Shigeta
  • Publication number: 20130030664
    Abstract: Discloses is a method of controlling a four-wheel drive vehicle equipped with a torque distribution device capable of changing a torque distribution amount for secondary driven wheels according to an input current to be applied thereto. This method comprises the steps of: applying, to the torque distribution device, a current value corresponding to a target torque distribution amount; and, performing a current changing control for increasing and reducing the input current to the torque distribution device. The step of performing a current changing control includes causing the input current to the torque distribution device to be temporarily increased to a value greater than the current value corresponding to the target torque distribution amount, and then returned to the current value corresponding to the target torque distribution amount, and repeating the temporary increasing of the input current at least at intervals of a predetermined time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicants: JTEKT CORPORATION, MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasushi YAGI, Hiroto KAWANO, Tomohiro NOZU, Akiyoshi KAKITA, Ryohei SHIGETA
  • Patent number: 5211081
    Abstract: A control system for an automatic transmission including a main transmission and a subtransmission whose shift operation is carried out by hydraulically. The control system comprises a first device for adjusting a gear ratio advance of the main transmission, the gear ratio advance corresponding to a gear ratio change during the shift operation, a second device for adjusting a gear ratio advance of the subtransmission, the gear ratio advance corresponding to a gear ratio change during the shift operation, and a device for controlling the frist adjusting device and the second adjusting device during concurrent shift operations of the main transmission and the subtransmission so that the gear ratio advances of the main transmission and the subtransmission become equal to respective predetermined target gear ratio advances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1991
    Date of Patent: May 18, 1993
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Bota, Hidehiko Mishima, Hiroto Kawano, Takuro Shigemura, Toshihisa Marusue, Kotaro Ninomiya
  • Patent number: 4819606
    Abstract: A fuel injection apparatus for a distributor injection pump for use in a diesel engine. The apparatus has an injection timing advancing device which advances a fuel injection timing of the distributor injection pump at an advancing rate responsive to a change of engine loading. A timing control includes a variable pressure relief system for changing the amount of pressure relieved from a pump chamber of the distributor injection pump. This variable pressure relief system can change the advancing rate of the injection timing advancing device in such a way that the advancing rate becomes lower in a low range of engine loading than in a high range of engine loading. The advancing rate may be continuously increasingly varying from that determined by the low engine loading in accordance with atmospheric pressure to a mostly increased advancing rate which is higher than a predetermined advancing rate in the high range of engine loading.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1989
    Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroto Kawano