Patents by Inventor Ikuo Yasuoka

Ikuo Yasuoka 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: 10141858
    Abstract: A power converter for an electric locomotive includes an insulating transformer, an AC/DC converter, an inverter, a PWM controller, and a voltage controller. The insulating transformer is supplied with high-voltage AC power from an AC overhead wire to convert a high voltage to a low voltage and output low-voltage AC power. The AC/DC converter receives the low-voltage AC power and performs AC/DC conversion. The inverter receives an output from the AC/DC converter and performs DC/AC conversion for supply to a load. The PWM controller outputs a PWM control signal having a predetermined pattern, the pattern for removing specific harmonic components from an output of the inverter or attenuating the specific harmonic components to at most a predetermined level. The voltage controller controls a DC output voltage of the AC/DC converter to control an output voltage of the inverter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shinichi Toda, Ikuo Yasuoka, Saburou Souma
  • Publication number: 20160285380
    Abstract: A power converter for an electric locomotive includes an insulating transformer, an AC/DC converter, an inverter, a PWM controller, and a voltage controller. The insulating transformer is supplied with high-voltage AC power from an AC overhead wire to convert a high voltage to a low voltage and output low-voltage AC power. The AC/DC converter receives the low-voltage AC power and performs AC/DC conversion. The inverter receives an output from the AC/DC converter and performs DC/AC conversion for supply to a load. The PWM controller outputs a PWM control signal having a predetermined pattern, the pattern for removing specific harmonic components from an output of the inverter or attenuating the specific harmonic components to at most a predetermined level. The voltage controller controls a DC output voltage of the AC/DC converter to control an output voltage of the inverter.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2014
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shinichi TODA, Ikuo YASUOKA, Saburou SOUMA
  • Patent number: 9327604
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electric vehicle control apparatus is provided with a converter having a diode and a switching device which convert an AC voltage or a DC voltage supplied from an input side into a DC voltage, whose output side is connected to a main motor through an inverter, a battery connected to the converter through a reactor, to provide a power source for the main motor, and a boosting chopper circuit composed the diode and the switching device which the converter has, so as to boost a voltage of the battery.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2016
    Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shinichi Toda, Ikuo Yasuoka, Kazuaki Yuuki, Yasufumi Mochizuki
  • Publication number: 20160016475
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a power converter for a vehicle includes four semiconductor element modules and a cooling unit. The four semiconductor element modules each include a switching element and a freewheeling diode and form circuits for three phases as circuits that perform three-phase AC output for driving one permanent magnet synchronous motor, the switching element using silicon carbide (SiC) and performing switching operation, the freewheeling diode using silicon carbide (SiC) and passing a freewheeling current, each of the circuits being related to single-phase AC output and having arms each of which connects the freewheeling diode anti-parallel to the switching element, the arms being connected in series. The cooling unit cools the four semiconductor element modules.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: January 21, 2016
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi TODA, Ikuo YASUOKA, Haruhiko FUJITO
  • Patent number: 8890455
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electric vehicle control device which can distribute the heat generated by the semiconductor devices in the DC/AC converter efficiently. Also disclosed herein are methods of converting DC to AC while keeping the heat value of the semiconductor devices stable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Toda, Ikuo Yasuoka, Yosuke Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20140312810
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electric vehicle control apparatus is provided with a converter having a diode and a switching device which convert an AC voltage or a DC voltage supplied from an input side into a DC voltage, whose output side is connected to a main motor through an inverter, a battery connected to the converter through a reactor, to provide a power source for the main motor, and a boosting chopper circuit composed the diode and the switching device which the converter has, so as to boost a voltage of the battery.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2014
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventors: Shinichi TODA, Ikuo YASUOKA, Kazuaki YUUKI, Yasufumi MOCHIZUKI
  • Patent number: 8847521
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, four VVVF main circuit inverters for supplying electric power to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor are packaged into one unit. The four VVVF main circuit inverters are configured as a 4-in-1 inverter unit which shares a cooling mechanism for radiating heat generated due to power supply operation for the permanent-magnet synchronous motors to outside. A 2-in-1 semiconductor device package in which two semiconductor elements to convert electric power are packaged into one unit to be able to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor is contained in the 4-in-1 inverter unit. Thereby, individual control of inverters and reducing the size of the entire apparatus can be achieved for the electric-vehicle control apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Shinichi Toda, Ikuo Yasuoka, Yosuke Nakazawa
  • Patent number: 8599585
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first terminal, a second terminal, a first plurality of switching elements and anti-parallel diodes coupled between the positive electrode and the first terminal and the second terminal, a second plurality of switching elements and anti-parallel diodes coupled between the negative electrode and the first terminal and the second terminal and a PiN diode coupled between the positive electrode and the negative electrode with reverse polarity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
    Inventors: Ikuo Yasuoka, Shinichi Toda, Mitsuhiro Numazaki, Yosuke Nakazawa, Makoto Takeda, Takahiko Minami, Takashi Takagi
  • Patent number: 8559143
    Abstract: A system and method for a vehicle control system is disclosed herein. The system includes an inverter circuit, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and a crossover connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include at least one current sensor installed between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. A contactor may also be connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor and may pass or shut off electricity between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include a control unit connected to the contactor and the current sensor. The control unit may detect a current abnormality using information from the current sensor and open the contactor if an abnormality is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Ikuo Yasuoka, Shinichi Toda, Mitsuhiro Numazaki, Hidetoshi Manabe, Takashi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20130002172
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, four VVVF main circuit inverters for supplying electric power to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor are packaged into one unit. The four VVVF main circuit inverters are configured as a 4-in-1 inverter unit which shares a cooling mechanism for radiating heat generated due to power supply operation for the permanent-magnet synchronous motors to outside. A 2-in-1 semiconductor device package in which two semiconductor elements to convert electric power are packaged into one unit to be able to drive a permanent-magnet synchronous motor is contained in the 4-in-1 inverter unit. Thereby, individual control of inverters and reducing the size of the entire apparatus can be achieved for the electric-vehicle control apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Inventors: Shinichi TODA, Ikuo YASUOKA, Yosuke NAKAZAWA
  • Publication number: 20120249032
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are electric vehicle control device which can distribute the heat generated by the semiconductor devices in the DC/AC converter efficiently. Also disclosed herein are methods of converting DC to AC while keeping the heat value of the semiconductor devices stable.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2011
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shinichi Toda, Ikuo Yasuoka, Yosuke Nakazawa
  • Publication number: 20110316460
    Abstract: A system and method for a vehicle control system is disclosed herein. The system includes an inverter circuit, a permanent magnet synchronous motor, and a crossover connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include at least one current sensor installed between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. A contactor may also be connected between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor and may pass or shut off electricity between the inverter circuit and the permanent magnet synchronous motor. The system may also include a control unit connected to the contactor and the current sensor. The control unit may detect a current abnormality using information from the current sensor and open the contactor if an abnormality is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Publication date: December 29, 2011
    Inventors: Ikuo Yasuoka, Shinichi Toda, Mitsuhiro Numazaki, Hidetoshi Manabe, Takashi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20110310643
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an electronic device includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, a first terminal, a second terminal, a first plurality of switching elements and anti-parallel diodes coupled between the positive electrode and the first terminal and the second terminal, a second plurality of switching elements and anti-parallel diodes coupled between the negative electrode and the first terminal and the second terminal and a PiN diode coupled between the positive electrode and the negative electrode with reverse polarity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2011
    Publication date: December 22, 2011
    Inventors: Ikuo Yasuoka, Shinichi Toda, Mitsuhiro Numazaki, Yosuke Nakazawa, Makoto Takeda, Takahiko Minami, Takashi Takagi
  • Publication number: 20080129231
    Abstract: To provide an electric motor car drive control apparatus enabling, in a train drive system having permanent magnetic synchronous motors employed as drive motors, such a configuration that allows a similar control to a centralized control like the case of induction motors, allowing for a reduced cost and a minimized installation size of the system, a plurality of permanent magnetic synchronous motors 17 to 20 are provided as car drive motors, a plurality of VVVF inverters 9 to 12 are adapted to drive the plurality of permanent magnetic synchronous motors individually in a one-to-one corresponding manner, the plurality of VVVF inverters being grouped into a plurality of control units each respectively composed of two or more VVVF inverters, and a plurality of gate controllers 22 and 23 are provided one for each control unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Shinichi TODA, Ikuo Yasuoka, Yosuke Nakazawa