Patents by Inventor Kan Nakaune

Kan Nakaune 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: 9217359
    Abstract: An internal-combustion engine includes a cylinder, a piston, a spark plug, and a fuel injection device. The piston includes a top surface, a guiding protrusion, and a cavity. The cavity is provided at a position closer to the fuel injection device than the guiding protrusion when viewed from above the top surface of the piston. The guiding protrusion includes a guiding surface to guide the fuel mist toward the spark plug when the fuel mist is injected from the fuel injection device at a first predetermined timing in a compression stroke. The cavity includes a guiding wall portion to guide the fuel mist toward the spark plug when the fuel mist is injected from the fuel injection device at a timing in the compression stroke between the first predetermined timing and a second predetermined timing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Kinya Fujii, Teruo Kobayashi, Yuki Ito, Shuichi Kitahara, Nobuo Suzuki, Yuusuke Wada, Kaoru Ishii, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 9217385
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus includes a first injection controller, a second injection controller, and a selector. The first injection controller is configured to perform a first injection operation in an intake stroke and is configured to perform a second injection operation in a compression stroke. The second injection controller is configured to perform both the first injection operation and the second injection operation in the intake stroke. The selector is configured to select fuel injection performed by the first injection controller when an internal combustion engine is in a warm-up operating state and is configured to select fuel injection performed by the second injection controller when the internal combustion engine is not in the warm-up operating state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Yamada, Masaaki Nagashima, Kan Nakaune, Tatsuhito Esaki, Nobuaki Ito, Kentaro Miki, Yutaka Sugahara
  • Patent number: 8965663
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus includes a first injection timing setting device, a target second injection timing setting device, a reference injection timing calculator, and a second injection timing setting device. The reference injection timing calculator is configured to calculate, as a reference injection timing, a timing at which a second-injection boosting operation is to be completed. The second-injection boosting operation is to re-boost a reduced voltage which has been reduced because of an execution of a first injection operation by using a booster circuit. The second injection timing setting device is configured to set, as a second injection timing at which a second injection operation is to be started, a later one of a target second injection timing set by the target second injection timing setting device and the reference injection timing calculated by the reference injection timing calculator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Haruhiko Yamada, Masaaki Nagashima, Kan Nakaune, Tatsuhito Esaki, Nobuaki Ito, Kentaro Miki, Yutaka Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20120197512
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus includes a first injection timing setting device, a target second injection timing setting device, a reference injection timing calculator, and a second injection timing setting device. The reference injection timing calculator is configured to calculate, as a reference injection timing, a timing at which a second-injection boosting operation is to be completed. The second-injection boosting operation is to re-boost a reduced voltage which has been reduced because of an execution of a first injection operation by using a booster circuit. The second injection timing setting device is configured to set, as a second injection timing at which a second injection operation is to be started, a later one of a target second injection timing set by the target second injection timing setting device and the reference injection timing calculated by the reference injection timing calculator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhiko YAMADA, Masaaki Nagashima, Kan Nakaune, Tatsuhito Esaki, Nobuaki Ito, Kentaro Miki, Yutaka Sugahara
  • Publication number: 20120197511
    Abstract: A fuel injection control apparatus includes a first injection controller, a second injection controller, and a selector. The first injection controller is configured to perform a first injection operation in an intake stroke and is configured to perform a second injection operation in a compression stroke. The second injection controller is configured to perform both the first injection operation and the second injection operation in the intake stroke. The selector is configured to select fuel injection performed by the first injection controller when an internal combustion engine is in a warm-up operating state and is configured to select fuel injection performed by the second injection controller when the internal combustion engine is not in the warm-up operating state.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: HONDA MOTOR CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Haruhiko YAMADA, Masaaki Nagashima, Kan Nakaune, Tatsuhito Esaki, Nobuaki Ito, Kentaro Miki, Yutaka Sugahara
  • Patent number: 7103468
    Abstract: A failure detection device for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine, by which failure detection, performed primarily by monitoring the oil pressure of operation oil, is ensured. The failure detection device is provided for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine in which it is possible to deactivate at least one cylinder by closing both of intake and exhaust valves thereof by applying the oil pressure of operation oil to a passage for deactivation execution via an actuator, and also it is possible to cancel the closed state of both of the intake and exhaust valves by applying the oil pressure of the operation oil to a passage for deactivation cancellation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2006
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune, Yasuo Nakamoto, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Patent number: 6950739
    Abstract: A motor control device for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine which includes at least one deactivatable cylinder which is deactivated during a deceleration traveling of the vehicle, and which is started by a motor when the operation thereof transitions from a deceleration deactivation operation to a normal operation. The motor control device comprises a cylinder deactivation state determining section (S202) for determining whether or not the engine is in a cylinder deactivation state, a cylinder deactivation executing section, a cylinder deactivation operation detecting section (S201) for detecting whether or not the cylinder deactivation executing section is activated, and a starting torque setting section (S201-S204) for setting staring torque for starting the engine by the motor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara, Naoya Miyamoto, Shinichi Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6934610
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle for generating an appropriate amount of regeneration energy during deceleration. A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle including an engine and electric motor for driving the hybrid vehicle wherein the engine comprises cylinders capable of deactivated operations and the motor executes regenerative braking when the vehicle is decelerating. The control apparatus of the present invention includes a cylinder deactivation determination device for determining whether or not the vehicle speed is appropriate for executing the cylinder deactivated operation, a regeneration amount calculating device for detecting whether the vehicle state is appropriate for regeneration and calculates the amount of regeneration; and further includes a compensation amount calculating device that compensates the amount of regeneration based on an all cylinder deactivated operation and the engine rotation speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Patent number: 6907948
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the battery device when the state of charge of the battery device tends to decrease and the initial state of charge of the battery device is reduced by a predetermined amount. The present device comprises a lower limit threshold value setting device S060, an upper limit threshold value setting device for setting the lower limit and upper limit threshold values of the discharge amount of the battery device, a mode setting device S054 for increasing the state of charge when the state of charge is reduced to the lower limit threshold value, a mode setting release device S062 for releasing the mode setting changed by the mode setting device, and a discharge depth detecting device S063 for detecting the discharge amount of the present state of charge by comparison with the initial state of charge. The threshold value for determining whether it is necessary for the motor to assist the engine is modified depending upon the discharge depth.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6886649
    Abstract: A control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle which includes an all cylinder deactivated operation execution flag F_ALCS for executing the all cylinders deactivated operation, when it is determined that the all cylinders deactivated operation is appropriate by the all cylinders deactivation standby flag F_ALCSSTB for determining the appropriateness of the all cylinders deactivated operation and the all cylinders deactivation release conditions realization flag F_F_ALCSSTP for determining the appropriateness of releasing the all cylinders deactivated operation, based on the all cylinders deactivation solenoid flag F_ALCSSOL for operating a spool valve, for determining an appropriateness of the operation of the solenoid valve, the all cylinder deactivation standby flag F_ALCSSTB, the all cylinder deactivation conditions realization flag F_ALCSSTP, the all cylinder deactivation solenoid flag F_ALCSSOL.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Shinichi Kitajima, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Publication number: 20050055152
    Abstract: A failure detection device for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine, by which failure detection, performed primarily by monitoring the oil pressure of operation oil, is ensured. The failure detection device is provided for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine in which it is possible to deactivate at least one cylinder by closing both of intake and exhaust valves thereof by applying the oil pressure of operation oil to a passage for deactivation execution via an actuator, and also it is possible to cancel the closed state of both of the intake and exhaust valves by applying the oil pressure of the operation oil to a passage for deactivation cancellation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2002
    Publication date: March 10, 2005
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Shinichi Kitajima, Kan Nakaune, Yasuo Nakamoto, Toshinari Shinohara
  • Patent number: 6857491
    Abstract: In a control apparatus for a hybrid vehicle having an engine and a motor as a driving source, the control apparatus stops fuel supply to the engine by a fuel supply stop device during deceleration, and performs regenerative braking by the motor depending on the deceleration state, wherein the engine is a type of engine capable of executing cylinders deactivated operation for at least one cylinder, and the control apparatus comprises the cylinders deactivated operation execution flag F_ALCS for determining whether it is appropriate for cylinders to enters into the deactivated operation based on the traveling conditions of a vehicle and a variable valve timing mechanism for deactivating the operation of the cylinders of the engine when the cylinders deactivated operation is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Matsubara, Yasuo Nakamoto, Shigeo Hidai, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6843337
    Abstract: A control system and method for accelerating the warm-up operation of a hybrid vehicle while preferably using the characteristics of the hybrid vehicle. The system comprises a warm-up accelerating section for accelerating warm-up of the engine by controlling the ignition timing of the engine according to a temperature of water for cooling the engine; and a power generation control section for performing power generation using the motor according to a remaining charge of a battery of the vehicle. The warm-up accelerating section has an ignition timing correcting section for correcting the ignition timing according to an amount of generated power which is controlled by the power generation control section. Therefore, in comparison with the case of performing the warm-up operation by simply using both the ignition timing retardation and the power generation, the ignition timing can be close to the optimum point, thereby improving the combustion efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara, Naoya Miyamoto
  • Publication number: 20050010353
    Abstract: A motor control device for a vehicle having a deceleration deactivatable engine which includes at least one deactivatable cylinder which is deactivated during a deceleration traveling of the vehicle, and which is started by a motor when the operation thereof transitions from a deceleration deactivation operation to a normal operation. The motor control device comprises a cylinder deactivation state determining section (S202) for determining whether or not the engine is in a cylinder deactivation state, a cylinder deactivation executing section, a cylinder deactivation operation detecting section (S201) for detecting whether or not the cylinder deactivation executing section is activated, and a starting torque setting section (S201-S204) for setting staring torque for starting the engine by the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2002
    Publication date: January 13, 2005
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Takahashi, Kan Nakaune, Toshinari Shinohara, Naoya Miyamoto, Shinichi Kitajima
  • Patent number: 6763707
    Abstract: A failure determination system and method for an internal combustion engine and an engine control unit are provided which are capable of properly determining a failure of a variable valve mechanism for inactivating a valve system associated with at least one of cylinders during a predetermined operation of the engine, by discriminating a misfire caused by the failure of the mechanism from a normal misfire. Fuel injection valves inject fuel for each cylinder and oxygen concentration of exhaust gases is detected. A misfire condition is detected on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. Fuel injection to a misfiring cylinder is stopped. A failure of the mechanism is determined, when a parameter based on the oxygen concentration detection indicates a richer value of an actual air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gases than a predetermined reference value does, under a condition of the fuel injection being stopped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Kumagai, Shinichi Kitajima, Futoshi Nishioka, Toshinari Shinohara, Kan Nakaune, Atsushi Matsubara
  • Patent number: 6702052
    Abstract: A control apparatus of a hybrid vehicle is provided, capable of charging the battery device when the state of charge of the battery device tends to decrease and the initial state of charge of the battery device is reduced by a predetermined amount. The present device comprises a lower limit threshold value setting device S060, an upper limit threshold value setting device for setting the lower limit and upper limit threshold values, respectively, of the discharge amount of the battery device, a mode setting device S054 for increasing the state of charge when the state of charge is reduced to the lower limit threshold value, a mode setting release device S062 for releasing the mode setting changed by the mode setting device, and a discharge depth detecting device S063 for detecting the discharge amount of the present state of charge by comparison with the initial state of charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Shigetaka Kuroda, Shinichi Kitajima, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Izumiura, Yasuo Nakamoto, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Patent number: 6700213
    Abstract: A control system provided in a hybrid vehicle with a combustion engine for outputting a driving force, an electric motor for generating a force for assisting the output from the engine, depending on driving conditions, a power storage unit for storing electric energy generated by the motor acting as a generator using the output from the engine and electric energy regenerated by the motor when the vehicle decelerates. The control system includes an output assist determination means for determining, based on a determination threshold value as the standard, whether to assist the output from the engine by the motor, depending on the driving conditions of the vehicle. An air-fuel controller is provided for changing the air-fuel ratio of the mixture, which is to be supplied to the engine, to a condition leaner or richer than the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Teruo Wakashiro, Atsushi Izumiura, Kan Nakaune, Takashi Iwamoto, Asao Ukai, Katsuhiro Kumagai
  • Patent number: 6692404
    Abstract: An engine control system for hybrid vehicles, so as to smoothly switch the driving operation from the cylinder-deactivated engine operation, in which at least a part of the total number of cylinders of the engine is deactivated, to the all-cylinder-activated engine operation while considering the driver's intention. When the vehicle is decelerated, the cylinder-deactivated engine operation is performed and regeneration using the motor is performed. The system includes a cylinder deactivation release determining section for releasing the cylinder-deactivated engine operation when an engine speed decreases to a reference engine speed with respect to the cylinder-deactivated engine operation; and a brake operation detecting section for detecting whether a brake pedal is depressed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Atsushi Matsubara, Hironao Fukuchi, Kan Nakaune, Shigeo Hidai, Yasuo Nakamoto
  • Patent number: 6621244
    Abstract: Conditions for permitting operation of vibration control are that; a stored charge of a battery 17 for an electric motor detected by storage state monitoring devices 15 and 24 is larger than a predetermined storage charge threshold, a vehicle's engine is idling, engine speed is within a prescribed range, and engine load is within a prescribed range. When all these conditions are satisfied, vibration damping control by a vibration damping control device is performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kiyomiya, Atsushi Izumiura, Shinichi Kitajima, Shigetaka Kuroda, Kazutomo Sawamura, Atsushi Matsubara, Hideyuki Oki, Kan Nakaune
  • Publication number: 20030110845
    Abstract: A failure determination system and method for an internal combustion engine and an engine control unit are provided which are capable of properly determining a failure of a variable valve mechanism for inactivating a valve system associated with at least one of cylinders during a predetermined operation of the engine, by discriminating a misfire caused by the failure of the mechanism from a normal misfire. Fuel injection valves inject fuel for each cylinder and oxygen concentration of exhaust gases is detected. A misfire condition is detected on a cylinder-by-cylinder basis. Fuel injection to a misfiring cylinder is stopped. A failure of the mechanism is determined, when a parameter based on the oxygen concentration detection indicates a richer value of an actual air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gases than a predetermined reference value does, under a condition of the fuel injection being stopped.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: HONDA GIKEN KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Katsuhiro Kumagai, Shinichi Kitajima, Futoshi Nishioka, Toshinari Shinohara, Kan Nakaune, Atsushi Matsubara