Patents by Inventor Hiroyuki Sakane

Hiroyuki Sakane 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: 11161390
    Abstract: An air flow control system includes a forming portion, an outside air introduction door, and an air controller. The forming portion forms a front side communication port that communicates between the interior of the vehicle cabin and an engine compartment disposed on the front side in a vehicle traveling direction with respect to the interior of the vehicle cabin and accommodating a traveling engine. The outside air introduction door opens or closes an outside air introduction port to introduce an air flow from an outside of a vehicle cabin into the interior of the vehicle cabin. The air controller controls the outside air introduction door to open the outside air introduction port, and causes the air flow, introduced from the outside of the vehicle cabin into the interior of the vehicle cabin via the outside air introduction port with travel of the vehicle, to be blown from the interior of the vehicle cabin into the engine compartment through the front side communication port.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 10946722
    Abstract: A heater unit emits radiation heat caused by heat generated with a heat generation unit when energized. The heater device includes a contact detection unit having a contact detection region overlying the heater unit to detect a contact by an object on the contact detection region. The heater device includes a determination unit to determine, when a contact by the object on the contact detection region is detected by the contact detection unit, whether the contact is for a predetermined switching operation. A control unit stops energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is not for the predetermined switching operation. The control unit switches between a start and a stop of energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is for the switching operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 10946720
    Abstract: An airflow control system includes an air blower and an outlet door. The air blower is disposed on a front side in a vehicle traveling direction with respect to an inside of a cabin and disposed inside an engine compartment that houses a propulsion engine. The outlet door opens and closes an air outlet through which an air flow from an inside of the engine compartment is blown to another area on a rear side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the engine compartment. The air blower blows an air flow containing exhaust heat of the propulsion engine to the other area through the air outlet while the air outlet is opened by the outlet door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakane, Nobukazu Kuribayashi, Shirou Bandou
  • Patent number: 10913332
    Abstract: In a heat exchange unit, a shutter device is disposed on a vehicle front side with respect to a coolant heat exchanger to open and close a passage for traveling air directed toward the coolant heat exchanger. A blower is switchable between a first blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side and a second blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side. In a case where a switch that makes a vehicle travelable is in an on state, a control unit switches the blower to the second blowing state, while an open degree of the shutter device is set at a closing side from a maximum open degree of the shutter device when a temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature determination value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2021
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Go Sato, Takashi Yasuda, Koichi Harada, Ken Muto, Masaaki Kawakubo, Nobukazu Kuribayashi, Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Publication number: 20200298659
    Abstract: An air flow control system includes a forming portion, an outside air introduction door, and an air controller. The forming portion forms a front side communication port that communicates between the interior of the vehicle cabin and an engine compartment disposed on the front side in a vehicle traveling direction with respect to the interior of the vehicle cabin and accommodating a traveling engine. The outside air introduction door opens or closes an outside air introduction port to introduce an air flow from an outside of a vehicle cabin into the interior of the vehicle cabin. The air controller controls the outside air introduction door to open the outside air introduction port, and causes the air flow, introduced from the outside of the vehicle cabin into the interior of the vehicle cabin via the outside air introduction port with travel of the vehicle, to be blown from the interior of the vehicle cabin into the engine compartment through the front side communication port.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: September 24, 2020
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SAKANE
  • Patent number: 10493822
    Abstract: A radiant heater device includes: a heater main body having a heating portion that generates heat by being supplied with electric power to radiate radiation heat due to the heat supplied from the heating portion; an output control unit that controls an output of the heating portion; and a maximum output determination unit that determines an upper limit of the output of the heating portion depending on a heat load around the heater main body. The output control unit controls the output of the heating portion depending on the heat load not to exceed the upper limit of the output determined by the maximum output determination unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Sagou, Takuya Kataoka, Asami Okamoto, Manabu Maeda, Koji Ota, Hiroyuki Sakane, Akira Oga, Masatoshi Nakashima, Hiroshi Takeda, Masataka Kinoshita, Hideaki Kako, Kimitake Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20190135084
    Abstract: In a heat exchange unit, a shutter device is disposed on a vehicle front side with respect to a coolant heat exchanger to open and close a passage for traveling air directed toward the coolant heat exchanger. A blower is switchable between a first blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle front side to the vehicle rear side and a second blowing state in which air flows from the vehicle rear side to the vehicle front side. In a case where a switch that makes a vehicle travelable is in an on state, a control unit switches the blower to the second blowing state, while an open degree of the shutter device is set at a closing side from a maximum open degree of the shutter device when a temperature of the engine coolant is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature determination value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2017
    Publication date: May 9, 2019
    Inventors: Go SATO, Takashi YASUDA, Koichi HARADA, Ken MUTO, Masaaki KAWAKUBO, Nobukazu KURIBAYASHI, Hiroyuki SAKANE
  • Patent number: 10220679
    Abstract: This vehicle air-conditioning system is provided with a preliminary operation control means which activates preliminary operation equipment in response to a planned-boarding signal. The preliminary operation control means provides preparatory control which precedes basic control. An air-flow switching control means drives a blower motor for just a prescribed short time period, and stops the blower motor. An air-outlet switching control means sets an air outlet in a position other than a face blowing position, and stands by. A compressor control means drives a compressor for just a prescribed short time period, and stops the compressor. An electric-heater control means allows the passage of current to an electric heater for 10 minutes, and subsequently stops the passage of current to the electric heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 10214125
    Abstract: An air-circulation promotion apparatus for a vehicle includes a driver's seat and a front passenger seat provided in the vehicle, and a face outlet port of a vehicle air conditioner disposed in front of those seats. A seat outlet port that blows a sucked air from a side surface of a seat back of the seat toward a rear area of the vehicle is disposed in the seat. An air present between the face outlet port and the seat flows rearward of the seat by aid of wind blown out of the seat outlet port. This makes it possible to circulate a comfortable air rearward of the seat to create a vehicle interior environment having no air retention. A circulation fan is provided in the seat and can be integrated with a seat ventilation system or a seat air conditioner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakane, Yasuhiko Niimi, Yuuji Yamanaka, Akira Oga
  • Publication number: 20180312039
    Abstract: An airflow control system includes an air blower and an outlet door. The air blower is disposed on a front side in a vehicle traveling direction with respect to an inside of a cabin and disposed inside an engine compartment that houses a propulsion engine. The outlet door opens and closes an air outlet through which an air flow from an inside of the engine compartment is blown to another area on a rear side in the vehicle traveling direction with respect to the engine compartment. The air blower blows an air flow containing exhaust heat of the propulsion engine to the other area through the air outlet while the air outlet is opened by the outlet door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: November 1, 2018
    Inventors: Hiroyuki SAKANE, Nobukazu KURIBAYASHI, Shirou BANDOU
  • Publication number: 20180201095
    Abstract: A heater unit emits radiation heat caused by heat generated with a heat generation unit when energized. The heater device includes a contact detection unit having a contact detection region overlying the heater unit to detect a contact by an object on the contact detection region. The heater device includes a determination unit to determine, when a contact by the object on the contact detection region is detected by the contact detection unit, whether the contact is for a predetermined switching operation. A control unit stops energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is not for the predetermined switching operation. The control unit switches between a start and a stop of energization of the heat generation unit when the determination unit determines that the contact is for the switching operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2016
    Publication date: July 19, 2018
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SAKANE
  • Patent number: 10004111
    Abstract: An in-vehicle radiant heater control apparatus includes: a temperature detection device for a heater in a vehicle compartment; a first switch element connected in series to the radiant heater between a power supply and a ground; a temperature control device controlling the first switch element that the heater temperature approaches a target temperature; a resistive element having one electrode connected to one electrode of the heater; an inter-electrode voltage detection device for the resistive element; and a resistance calculation device repeatedly obtaining a heater resistance of the radiant heater based on a voltage between the other electrode of the resistive element and the other electrode of the heater, a detected resistance voltage, and a resistance of the resistive element. The temperature detection device obtains the heater temperature based on the heater resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masatoshi Nakashima, Takuya Kataoka, Kimitake Ishikawa, Yasuhiro Sagou, Asami Takahashi, Hiroyuki Sakane, Akira Oga
  • Publication number: 20160288621
    Abstract: This vehicle air-conditioning system is provided with a preliminary operation control means which activates preliminary operation equipment in response to a planned-boarding signal. The preliminary operation control means provides preparatory control which precedes basic control. An air-flow switching control means drives a blower motor for just a prescribed short time period, and stops the blower motor. An air-outlet switching control means sets an air outlet in a position other than a face blowing position, and stands by. A compressor control means drives a compressor for just a prescribed short time period, and stops the compressor. An electric-heater control means allows the passage of current to an electric heater for 10 minutes, and subsequently stops the passage of current to the electric heater.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventor: Hiroyuki SAKANE
  • Publication number: 20160200172
    Abstract: An in-vehicle radiant heater control apparatus includes: a temperature detection device for a heater in a vehicle compartment; a first switch element connected in series to the radiant heater between a power supply and a ground; a temperature control device controlling the first switch element that the heater temperature approaches a target temperature; a resistive element having one electrode connected to one electrode of the heater; an inter-electrode voltage detection device for the resistive element; and a resistance calculation device repeatedly obtaining a heater resistance of the radiant heater based on a voltage between the other electrode of the resistive element and the other electrode of the heater, a detected resistance voltage, and a resistance of the resistive element. The temperature detection device obtains the heater temperature based on the heater resistance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: July 14, 2016
    Inventors: Masatoshi NAKASHIMA, Takuya KATAOKA, Kimitake ISHIKAWA, Yasuhiro SAGOU, Asami TAKAHASHI, Hiroyuki SAKANE, Akira OGA
  • Publication number: 20160046174
    Abstract: A radiant heater device includes: a heater main body having a heating portion that generates heat by being supplied with electric power to radiate radiation heat due to the heat supplied from the heating portion; an output control unit that controls an output of the heating portion; and a maximum output determination unit that determines an upper limit of the output of the heating portion depending on a heat load around the heater main body. The output control unit controls the output of the heating portion depending on the heat load not to exceed the upper limit of the output determined by the maximum output determination unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Publication date: February 18, 2016
    Inventors: Yasuhiro SAGOU, Takuya KATAOKA, Asami OKAMOTO, Manabu MAEDA, Koji OTA, Hiroyuki SAKANE, Akira OGA, Masatoshi NAKASHIMA, Hiroshi TAKEDA, Masataka KINOSHITA, Hideaki KAKO, Kimitake ISHIKAWA
  • Publication number: 20150266404
    Abstract: An air-circulation promotion apparatus for a vehicle includes a driver's seat and a front passenger seat provided in the vehicle, and a face outlet port of a vehicle air conditioner disposed in front of those seats. A seat outlet port that blows a sucked air from a side surface of a seat back of the seat toward a rear area of the vehicle is disposed in the seat. An air present between the face outlet port and the seat flows rearward of the seat by aid of wind blown out of the seat outlet port. This makes it possible to circulate a comfortable air rearward of the seat to create a vehicle interior environment having no air retention. A circulation fan is provided in the seat and can be integrated with a seat ventilation system or a seat air conditioner.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2013
    Publication date: September 24, 2015
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Sakane, Yasuhiko Niimi, Yuuji Yamanaka, Akira Oga
  • Patent number: 8078363
    Abstract: An on-vehicle electronic device control system includes a base-device-layer on which base-inputting-devices and base-driven-devices are disposed and plural control layers on which plural control units are disposed. Each of the control units has a lower-to-higher-layer-data-input-portion for inputting data from a lower layer and a higher-to-lower-layer-data-output-portion for outputting control-command-data to a lower layer. At least one of the control units disposed on one of the control layers has a higher-to-lower-data-input-portion for inputting data from a higher layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 8078331
    Abstract: A power supply control system includes a plurality of electronic control units, a monitoring device, a power source line coupled with each of the electronic control units for supplying an operating voltage to each of the electronic control units, and a power source switch disposed on the power source line. The monitoring device calculates a deactivating threshold value based on an assigned threshold value of each of the electronic control units set in accordance with an operating state of each of the electronic control units. The monitoring device deactivates the power source switch so as to stop the supply of the operating voltage to all of the electronic control units when an electric current value of the power source line is greater than the deactivating threshold value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2011
    Assignee: Denso Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 7546407
    Abstract: A flexible wiring system for an electronic system includes an intermediate distributing unit and a changeover control unit. The intermediate distributing unit includes first side connectors connectable with an input side and an output side of a basic control circuit, second side connectors connectable with inputting devices such as various sensors and outputting devices such as various actuators and a changeover mechanism disposed between a set of the first side connectors and a set of the second side connectors. The changeover control unit controls the changeover mechanism to change connection of the set of first side connectors with the set of second side connectors according to a specific device to be connected with the set of second side connectors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane
  • Patent number: 7543097
    Abstract: A flexible wiring system for an electronic system includes a basic control circuit for controlling specific control circuits to obtain data from a sensor, a communication bus connected with the basic control circuit and the specific control circuits, and an intermediate distributing unit. The intermediate distributing unit includes plural first side connectors connectable with the basic control circuit and the specific control circuits, plural second side connectors connectable with sensors and actuators. The basic control circuit communicates signals with the specific control circuits via the communication bus so that the specific control circuits can control corresponding actuators according to the data obtained from corresponding sensors via the intermediate distributing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: DENSO Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroyuki Sakane